The Northern Army

As his body gradually returned to normal, Rong Tianding began to understand some of the things that had happened to him.

Zhang Xuezhou talked about a lot of good things, but also briefly mentioned some bad things.

The mere thought that the soft armor-like substance inside his body was a valuable imperial artifact stolen by someone made Rong Tianding's mouth go dry. He felt like he had become an accomplice, and if this were discovered, he would surely face certain death.

Moreover, the leader of the Corpse-Eating School launched a night raid on the palace, and the school he practiced was undoubtedly an enemy of the Great Han Dynasty.

If he were to be identified as a successor of the Corpse-Eating School, Rong Tianding felt he would still be doomed.

"Should I switch to a different school of thought?" Rong Tianding asked in a low voice.

"You can make the decision yourself. If you need anything, just let me know!"

At this point, Zhang Xuezhou no longer had any intention of making decisions for Rong Tianding, nor did he interfere with Rong Tianding's development, trying his best to avoid any potential interference from himself.

Even if Rong Tianding wanted to return to Hibiscus City, Zhang Xuezhou would absolutely not stop him.

But for Zhang Xuezhou, making some money, getting a minor official position, and then buying property in Chang'an City to settle down is what he wants to do in the near future.

Everything he does is based on the premise of stability.

Only when he settles down can he maintain his normal life and be able to study everything he needs.

"The Northern army has entered the city!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise from afar.

This made Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding both raise their heads and look towards the street.

The Han Dynasty's army was divided into capital troops, local troops, and border troops.

Border troops are stationed on the frontier, such as the Northern Border Military Region, which is a large-scale border garrison.

Local troops were involved in various prefectures and counties, used to maintain local security, and also included many private armies of princes.

The capital troops were elite legions guarding Chang'an, which were further divided into the Southern Army and the Northern Army.

The Southern Army consisted of the Imperial Guards and patrol troops stationed on the Chang'an City Zhang Xuezhou and others had seen on a daily basis, as well as some palace gate guards and security personnel. It was led by Li Guang, the Imperial Guard Commander of the Weiyang Palace, Cheng Bushi, the Imperial Guard Commander of Changle Palace.

The Northern Army, on the other hand, was stationed and overseen by officials appointed by the emperor. They were trained and armored in a wartime manner, making them an elite corps that could be deployed for immediate combat.

Zhang Xuezhou looked on and saw rows of armored soldiers riding tall horses walking along the street.

While the patrol troops in Chang'an City could at least be greeted, and some troublesome civilians would haggle with them over entry fees, and others, having forgotten the custom, would discuss with the guards seeking to make amends, the Northern Army, on the other hand, was filled with an atmosphere that kept strangers at bay.

The soldiers' armor was covered in rust and blood, and the stench of blood was overwhelming when you got close, making it hard to harbor any ill intentions.

"The Northern Army is on imperial orders to patrol the city; everyone, regardless of rank or status, must undergo inspection!"

Those who violate laws and regulations will be severely punished!

"The Northern Army encourages the reporting of unidentified individuals arriving in Chang'an City; all verified reports will be rewarded!"

"Everyone, return to your respective areas and await inspection!"

Shouts echoed through the streets.

After a city-wide investigation and numerous reports and whistleblowing, Zhang Xuezhou finally understood why the woman was in such a hurry to run away.

The Northern cavalry were almost everywhere in the streets of Chang'an City. Longswords, greatswords, spearmen, archers, sorcerers, and elite cavalrymen were all part of a coordinated small group.

The existence of military formations makes these small groups extremely restrained against individuals, and once the Northern Army's command is adjusted, such legions can annihilate any non-transcendent great cultivator.

To move freely within such an army requires at least the level of Sacred Land Lord. Even experts like Kong Ning would suffer a great loss if they were discovered to be targeted, and there is even a considerable probability that they would perish.

The entry of the Northern army into the city signified that the new emperor had reached his limit and was unwilling to remain on the defensive once again.

Strengthening the city walls of Chang'an City became inevitable, as few cultivators could enter Chang'an City to cause trouble by scaling the walls at night.

"Every time the Northern Army is mobilized, our Chang'an City will be crippled for several months!"

Inside the restaurant, hushed conversations could be heard continuously.

The arrival of the Northern Army meant doom for some people of unknown origin, and was not friendly to the normal residents of Chang'an City either.

The massive number of legions needed to eat and drink, involving huge quantities of food and provisions.

If the imperial court fails to make proper arrangements, Chang'an City will inevitably have to bear the related responsibilities.

For ordinary people, the first thing they feel is the rising prices of various food items.

The daily income remains the same, but the expenses will obviously increase, possibly even several times over.

Food and beverage shops have not benefited from the price increases either. On the contrary, these business owners have difficulty controlling the price of their goods, and they can easily lose money if they are not careful.

When the Northern Army patrolled the city, the only ones who probably benefited were the whistleblowers.

This is also an unexpected source of income for some ordinary people. If they report a powerful figure, they might even receive a large reward, thus changing their lives.

When Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding returned to the inn to rest with the crowd, they were reported by the innkeeper.

Regular customers may be regulars, but the owner showed no mercy when it came to reporting them.

"Sir, I think those two are acting very strangely. This guy initially rented a room with a man Zhang Qian for ten days, then paid the rent and ran off on the second day. Later, he and another employee came to rent the room for another ten days, but when I opened the door today, I found that they had actually gone down from the second-floor window and only just returned!"

The innkeeper recounted the suspicious clues he had discovered. He glanced at Zhang Xuezhou and then gestured to a certain mark on the official document held by the small Northern Army group that was checking the inn.

"The minimum reward for reporting is one hundred and a half taels of silver, and the maximum reward is one thousand gold coins!"

Zhang Xuezhou read the official document aloud and couldn't help but add a sentence.

"Boss, you're right to report it. I would have done the same!"

This kind of whistleblowing was almost a nationwide affair, but Zhang Xuezhou wasn't angry. Anyway, his integrity was very stable, Rong Tianding's integrity was unlikely to be compromised.

If they want someone to testify, they can even produce Dong Zhongshu as a witness.

They might look like just street performers, but their relationship is actually quite reliable.

Just as Zhang Qian guaranteed Realm Entry through Yanmen Pass, Dong Zhongshu's guarantee in Chang'an City would be equally feasible.

"You came to Chang'an City to rent a shop so you could go out and perform?"

The Northern Army squad leader's voice, muffled behind his iron mask, sounded like a nasal voice, but the other party made no mistakes in their investigation. They not only inquired about Zhang Xuezhou 'Zhang Xuezhou background and connections, but also about the trade Zhang Xuezhou made a living.

"Right!"

What kind of performance do you sell?

"My lord, "Zhang Xuezhou said, "I learned a technique from General Li Guang, the commander of the Imperial Guards, that can cure injuries from falls and blows. "Our renting is only temporary. Once we've earned enough money, we'll apply to the court for an official position so we can buy a house in Chang'an City!"

The other party's inspection was extremely thorough, and Zhang Xuezhou didn't wait for them to question him one by one before pouring out all the things he needed to do.

"Your connections are very strong, involving both the civil Erudite Dong and the military general General Li Guang. I won't bother to verify them. If you can use that critical medical technique from the Northern Border Military Region today, you'll pass!"

The Northern Army squad leader pointed at Zhang Xuezhou, then at himself.

When he loosened the clasp on his iron plate, festering skin wrapped in white cloth was revealed underneath, with red flesh and inflamed yellow fluid visible beneath the cloth.

"Perform the spell," said the Northern Army squad leader. "I won't take advantage of you for nothing. Heal this area for me, and I'll give you ten and a half taels of silver!"

Zhang Xuezhou looks very young, but the skills of saving lives under General Li Guang of the Northern Border Army are very famous. Even the officers of the Chang'an City know this, and many people even envy the soldiers of the Northern Frontier Legion.

Consequently, the inheritors of this technique were thoroughly investigated by the Northern Border Army.

As long as Zhang Xuezhou can perform the technique, he doesn't need to report to Dong Zhongshu for verification, nor does he need to wait for Li Guang's reply; he can get the answer directly.