The First Lackey Under The Empress

"Does not live up to its name?" Inside the military tent, the generals were stunned.

However, quickly, another general suddenly shook his head:

"Even now, do you still dare to underestimate this Lord Zhao?"

"Although you and I are in the provinces and in the army, we don't understand many things in the court, but even from the bits and pieces of rumors we've heard, we should understand that Lord Zhao is by no means someone who fishes for fame."

"So? You think it's true? The key figure in this great victory is him?" the previous military officer asked.

He nodded, looking very seriously at Xue Shence at the head of the table:

"Grand Secretary, although I can't figure out how someone who has never led troops or fought a battle can do this, I don't think His Majesty needs to deceive everyone at this time, using such a major event to gild him."

Xue Shence looked at this general, he remembered that the other party was a deputy general of the Linfeng Military Prefecture.

At the beginning, in the case of the Taicang Silver Mine, he led elite troops to investigate the case beside Zhao Dongan, and sealed off the prefectural city.

"Young Lord Zhao is an outstanding hero, and besides, I have also witnessed the power of the Shenji Camp's new firearms. It is not surprising that he has achieved this. I don't want to hear similar questions again."

Xue Shence made a final conclusion.

Some people who were not convinced, seeing the "Military God" like this, had to swallow their words, and the shock in their hearts became more intense.

To be praised so highly by Grand Secretary Xue, how many civil and military officials in the court can there be?

"Publicize the news widely. This great victory is enough to boost the morale of the entire army."

Xue Shence made arrangements, and then returned to the topic:

"The crisis in Qingzhou has been resolved, and reinforcements from the Jing Camp will arrive soon. Now, on the eastern and western lines of Linfeng, King Jing is putting on a defensive and separatist stance, but King Mu still has the intention of annexing territory. We should gather our troops to repel the enemy.

Since I am here, I will not allow the rebels' claws to reach out even an inch!"

The generals were filled with enthusiasm and stood up to respond:

"This humble general will do his best to defend Linfeng!"

……

……

South of Taicang Prefecture, Ningjiang County.

As a strategic location on the western front of the Huai River battlefield, this county has fallen into the hands of the Yunfu Mu King's rebel army for many days.

However, if you walk in the city, you will find that in addition to the slightly solemn atmosphere, inevitably shrouded in the shadow of war, the entire county is still operating, shops on the street are open as usual, and people on the street walk as usual.

The order in the city is well-organized, and there is no sign of chaos.

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums came from the main road in the city. A team of Yunfu soldiers marched into the city in a mighty manner, heading straight for the county government office.

The people consciously gave way, hiding on both sides of the road, looking at this army with both respect and awe.

In the center of the army, a middle-aged civil official sitting upright on a red horse was particularly eye-catching, surrounded by heavily armed soldiers holding guns and halberds.

Only this person was wearing a scarlet scholar's robe and a Confucian crown, holding the reins in both hands, and wearing a soft armor outside the scholar's robe.

In the gap between the two layers of soft armor, there was space for storing objects, revealing a corner of a blue-covered military book, with rough edges, showing that the book was often read.

Suddenly, a galloping horse came from the front of the team. The middle-aged man raised his hand, and the marching team stopped.

The messenger dismounted, holding up a letter with both hands:

"Reporting to the General! Scouts report that Xue Shence has arrived at Taicang Prefecture from the eastern front…"

Xue Shence is here? Su Dan's expression became serious, glanced at the discoloration of several generals beside him, not afraid, and smiled:

"Don't be frightened by the title of 'Military God'. He is overwhelmed and unable to attend to both the east and west lines. Pass the order to summon all the generals to the county government…"

Far away.

On the dark roof ridge of a four-story restaurant in the city, a woman in black, with cold and almost ghostly eyebrows, stood on a raised roof ridge.

The sun was scorching, and the blue sky was filled with clouds, but for some reason, the pedestrians on the street below turned a blind eye to the woman in black, as if they had never seen her.

The woman calmly looked at the general Su Dan in the army, expressionless.

But if Zhao Dongan was here, he would be shocked, because the appearance of this woman in black was eighty or ninety percent similar to that of the second disciple of the Tianshi Mansion, "Jade Sleeve."

It's just that Yu Xiu, as a Taoist Tianshi, has an ethereal and light temperament.

And this woman is treacherous and awe-inspiring, with extremely cold eyes.

"Hey, Sister Rong, this Su Dan is really capable. It's no wonder the Prince and Zhao Shixiong are vying for him. How long has it been? He has firmly grasped Ningjiang in his hands, and he can even suppress the border troops who have more banditry than soldiers…"

"No wonder he was entrusted with an important task and stood at the forefront of the western front. Could it be that he can really compete with that Xue Shence?"

"It's a pity that he's a bit strange. He's obviously a military general, but he likes to pretend to be a scholar all day long."

At the edge of the roof ridge, a young man's hand grabbed the tiles. Without seeing how hard he used, a nimble figure jumped up.

The boy, about seventeen or eighteen years old, was very thin, but his arms were extremely long, and his eyes rolled around, full of aura.

Squatting on the roof ridge like a monkey, a handleless dagger in his hand flew like a butterfly, looking at the officials riding horses in the distance,啧啧称奇.

The woman in black named Nie Yurong turned her head with cold eyes:

"Although our Embroidered Clothes Direct Servants are not on the same path as Su Dan and his generals, we are all serving King Mu, and we are considered half colleagues.

Now that we are ordered to lurk in the city, we are both secretly assisting the army in conquering cities and territories, and supervising Su Dan and his gang. If they have rebellious intentions, assassinate them in advance. so…"

The boy, who was squatting on the roof ridge in a carefree manner, curled his lips and sank his body down:

"I know, I have to hide well and not show my face, so as not to be noticed. But Sister Rong, you are standing much more obviously than me."

Nie Yurong said coldly:

"The spells I practice can ensure invisibility during the day, can you do it?"

The boy named Sikong drooped his eyebrows and complained:

"I know, the monk from Shenlong Temple is right. Why didn't I notice that you are so nagging before? What about the female assassin who is good at assassination? Almost like an old woman.

"If you are like this, then the sister you want to find must be even more long-winded. My God, if you really find her, wouldn't there be two old women who would quarrel to death?"

Nie Yurong was expressionless. Her right hand suddenly flicked, and a cyan paper crane shot out like a dart, hitting the boy's brow!

He cried out, rolled off the roof tiles like a ball, and at the critical moment, Sikong grabbed the eaves with one hand and climbed up again:

"I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything!"

Among the assassins and intelligence organizations secretly cultivated by King Mu's Mansion, "Embroidered Clothes Direct Servants", only a very small number of people know that Nie Yurong, who is the "Embroidered Clothes Envoy", has an older sister who was lost when she was young.

It's a pity that there is no news, probably she died in the banditry that year.

Nie Yurong said indifferently:

"The above intercepted a Shadow Guard and got news that Zhao Dongan has been appointed 'Grand Commander of Pacification', leading troops south to Linfeng, and will probably come to the western front battlefield."

At the same time as she spoke, the young Sikong spread out his palm. In the palm of his hand, the cyan paper crane that had just hit his brow unfolded by itself and hovered in front of him.

A touch of black ink quickly outlined on the paper, depicting a handsome man with a smile on his face using almost sketching techniques.

"Is this the Empress's husband? Bah, he really looks like a pretty boy." Sikong spat.

Nie Yurong stood at the tip of the roof ridge with her hands behind her back. The sun was scorching overhead, and her voice was as cold as ice:

"Send the order! The moment he enters the Western Theater, I want to know his every move immediately."

Si Kong paused, nodded, and grinned with a chilling smile:

What Zhao Yama? Once Rong Jie sets her sights on him, he's dead for sure.

Does he even know the weight of 'Shadowless' Nie Yurong, the number one assassin on the 'Embroidered Uniform Directives' kill list?

… …

… …

Capital City, Celestial Master's Mansion.

"Dang—"

"Dang—"

The bell tolls echoed throughout the city, signifying the end of the executions at the execution grounds.

Today, the execution grounds were packed with people, all commoners who came to witness the execution of Li Yanfu and Prince Heng and his son.

The entire Yu Kingdom was teetering on the brink, and the Celestial Master's Mansion had become the last bastion of tranquility.

"Master, you summoned us?"

In the depths of a small courtyard, Yu Xiu, Gongshu Tianyuan, and Jin Jian, three disciples, pushed open the door and bowed to Zhang Yan, who stood with his hands behind his back beneath a large banyan tree.

The old Celestial Master's loose divine robe draped on the ground, his long hair in a Daoist bun held in place by a branch.

"Zhao Du'an is about to set out on an expedition. Yu Xiu, Jin Jian, the two of you shall accompany him."

Ah?

The three disciples were simultaneously stunned, the female Daoist furrowing her brow:

"Is Master ordering us to protect him? But this involves the imperial family's internal strife. Is this appropriate…?"

Yu Xiu was not resistant to this arrangement, as it was a good opportunity to further observe the "Child of Heaven."

However, she believed that saving Zhao Du'an last time was justifiable, but now that he was going on an expedition, they were still protecting him. This had already broken the rules set down by the successive Celestial Masters of the Daoist sect.

"Without exception, every word, every action, every intention is under scrutiny!"

Zhang Yan turned around, his narrow eyes filled with wisdom:

"You don't need to protect him, nor do you need to participate in the imperial family's internal strife. But if some people want to break the rules, you should go and stop them."

What does that mean…? Jin Jian blinked her big, bewildered eyes, not understanding.

Yu Xiu paused: "Is Master referring to us dealing with the White Robe Sect? The Divine Power Sect? Or does Master believe the Divine Dragon Temple will still interfere?"

The White Robe Sect was an evil sorcerer organization, and the Celestial Master's Mansion already had the task of hunting down and killing evil demons.

As for the Divine Dragon Temple… Although Xuan Yin had fled and the main altar was destroyed, a large number of Divine Dragon Temple "remnants" still remained throughout the Yu Kingdom.

Zhang Yan chuckled:

"That bald donkey Xuan Yin is bound by the Heavenly Human Agreement and wouldn't dare to act rashly, but if his disciples and grandchildren make some small moves, wouldn't it ruin the reputation of the entire cultivation world?"

Yu Xiu understood and clasped her fist: "Disciple respectfully obeys the decree."

After speaking, seeing Jin Jian next to her standing foolishly without moving, she extended her right foot under her skirt and gently kicked Jin Jian. The dazed young female divine officer finally followed suit:

"Disciple… obeys the decree!"

"Hey? What about me?" Gongshu Tianyuan next to her grew anxious, the short, stout divine officer busily blinking his small eyes:

"Senior Sister, I trust you, but Junior Sister is always half-asleep and her eyesight isn't good. Isn't it too dangerous for her to go to the battlefield? I should accompany Senior Sister instead."

Jin Jian was unhappy and pushed up her glasses, placing her hands on her hips: "Who are you saying is no good?"

Gongshu Tianyuan didn't back down: "You're no good. This time the army is setting out, and the imperial court's firearms will be used. Do you understand firearms?"

Jin Jian was momentarily choked, her momentum weakening: "I… don't understand."

Gongshu Tianyuan smiled slightly:

"Wars mostly happen during the day, and you sleep during the day. If there's a real battle, others will have to take care of you. Do you think that's appropriate?"

Jin Jian felt as if an arrow had struck her knee, staggering backward and weakly saying: "No… it's not appropriate."

Gongshu Tianyuan put his hands on his hips, laughing heartily, delivering the final blow:

"There are many men in the army, and Senior Sister is, after all, a woman, which is inconvenient in many ways. Many things should be done by a man. What can you do following Senior Sister? Can you change your gender?"

Jin Jian was struck by lightning. At this moment, she only felt herself shrinking, while Gongshu Tianyuan in front of her grew infinitely taller, even more majestic and immense than Mount Luo.

Making her feel incredibly insignificant, with no chance of winning.

The old Celestial Master silently watched the two argue, and said unhappily:

"I have already made my decision. Yu Xiu and Jin Jian will go together, and you will stay."

Gongshu Tianyuan's momentum instantly collapsed, and his triumphant expression vanished.

He only felt Jin Jian rapidly enlarging, blotting out the sky and sun, making him feel a sense of reverence:

Damn it, she has a backer, she has a backer!

Zhang Yan sighed wearily and tossed a roll of blueprints from his sleeve to him:

"That kid Zhao Du'an sent it. He said that during the Qingzhou campaign, the Divine Machine Camp summarized the advantages and disadvantages of firearms and came up with new ideas for improvement. Give it to you to improve."

Zhao-xiong's new design? Gongshu Tianyuan was overjoyed, his face serious:

"Senior Sister and Junior Sister joining forces is truly a perfect match."

"Get lost!"

"Okay!"

… …

… …

Somewhere in an inn in the Yu Kingdom.

Xu Jianwen, cloaked in a cape, sat by the window, quietly scrutinizing the secret report.

After a long while, the Second Prince's fair and well-proportioned hand threw the secret report out the window, the paper shredded into pieces by an invisible aura in mid-air.

"What a Third Sister… What a Zhao Du'an…"

Xu Jianwen murmured softly, his tone betraying neither admiration nor disappointment.

"Your Highness…"

In the room, Qi Yuchun and Ren Kun, two high-ranking members of the National Salvation Society, looked at each other:

"Now that the Empress has stabilized the situation and the Qingzhou troops have suffered a major defeat, should we…?"

"Continue to lie low and wait for the opportunity," Xu Jianwen replied without hesitation.

Qi Yuchun, the former Commander of the Imperial Guards, said:

"These days, traitors like Yun Xi, Lin Yuebai, and Wu Ling are still attacking everywhere, destroying our branches in various places. If we passively take a beating like this, I'm afraid the society will fall apart…"

Xu Jianwen smiled, completely unconcerned:

"They are just pawns that can be discarded at any time. If they want them, just give them what they want. Zhuang Xiaocheng understood this clearly back then, why don't you understand?"

The two were stunned, thinking that if the society was destroyed and only a few people were left, how could they help His Highness regain power?

Or did His Highness have other plans?

Xu Jianwen suddenly asked: "What about bewitching that guy? Hasn't he shown up recently?"

Earth God術師Ren Kun said:

"After hearing that the Empress won the battle at Hundred Flowers Village, he said he had something to do and hurriedly ran away."

Ran away? What did he go to do?

Xu Jianwen frowned, then waved his hand:

"Never mind him."

… …

… …

At the end of this summer, an execution at the execution grounds heralded the beginning of the imperial court's counterattack.

Just three days after Li Yanfu's death, the Divine Machine Camp and the Five Armies Camp, two powerful forces, marched towards Linfeng.

Another day later, on the Linfeng Road, in the territory of Taicang Prefecture.

On a certain official road, inside a certain rickety carriage, Zhao Du'an exhaled deeply, awakened from meditation, opened his eyes, and a flash of lightning streaked across his pupils.

As if he had a nightmare, he subconsciously raised his hand and touched his chest, and inside his open robe, he wore a dark red half-body armor.

The armor seemed to contain raging fire, and the black human face mark on the front was like a ghost.

"The Church of the Fire Worship… I can even encounter them in my dreams…"