A summer rain poured down on Meteor City.

In the violent rain, a completely drenched Yunqin cavalry passed through Meteor City’s gates as fast as lightning.

After this cavalry troop that had just carried out who knew what kind of mission completed their report, the rain began to slow down. A group of men began to walk towards the city gate.

The one in the lead was that grave and stern Dragon Snake officer who always wore a metal mask. Behind him were Lin Xi, Gao Yanan, Mu Shanzi and a couple dozen Yunqin soldiers.

After leaving the city gates, this stern Dragon Snake high ranking military officer, Mu Shanzi and the others stopped. Only Lin Xi and Gao Yanan left the gates.

“Until next time.”

The grave and stern Dragon Snake commander’s words were also grave and stern, of few words. He only spoke these few words to Lin Xi and Gao Yanan, showing them a military salute.

Lin Xi and Gao Yanan bowed slightly, returning the greeting.

“Thanks.”

Lin Xi then smiled, saying this to Mu Shanzi.

“What are you thanking me for, idiot. It’s not like I was the one who played those drums.” Mu Shanzi rolled his eyes towards Lin Xi. “It really is a pity that I didn’t see you die this time.”

Lin Xi and Gao Yanan exchanged a look and laughed. They didn’t say too much either, turning around and leaving, disappearing from the eyes of everyone in Meteor City.

…

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

It was raining in Central Continent Imperial City as well.

From time to time, lightning flashed overhead, making everything in the throne room shine with even more dazzling golden light.

Yunqin Emperor sat on the dragon throne, looked at the emperor memorial in his hands, looking at the subjects before him.

After Lin Xi’s battle against Xu Qiubai, the news that spread from Meteor City to all of Yunqin Empire were all heart stirring good news.

Several hundred Yunqin cavalry, in an almost suicidal move, burned down Great Mang’s largest fodder storage in South Tomb Province right under the eyes of Great Mang Seven Army Commander Shentu Nian.

Cavalry troops needed warhorses, the transport of military equipment, heavy objects and provisions needed warhorses as well.

Even though it was still summer with all types of grass flourishing, if warhorses were allowed to eat wild grass, then it was extremely easy for them to develop illnesses. That was why fodder, mixed grains that could preserve these warhorses’ stamina, mixed bean flat cakes and other finer foods were even more important. With this type of huge fodder storage burned to ashes, all of Great Mang army’s fighting strength would be greatly reduced.

A ten thousand Great Mang army that tried to cut through the province behind South Tomb Province’s borders, wishing infiltrate Rudong City and other regions suffered from an ambush personally led by Gu Yunjing. As a result, less than three thousand of the ten thousand Great Mang troops escaped, even the Great Mang General An Guanying was killed before his troops.

Black Flag Army wiped out a three thousand membered Great Mang elite cavalry troop, more than forty small scale battles were happening everywhere, destroying Great Mang’s military supplies and provisions storages, successfully destroying three provisions transport armies…

“Construct a martyr shrine to honor those soldiers who burned down the fodder storage. Bestow Coiling Dragon Medals upon them as well.”[1]

“Grant additional relief payment for all of the soldiers who have perished, those whose families are in more difficult situations will have taxes pardoned forever, have the city office make arrangements for their sons and nephews’ studies to become officials.”

“...”

Yunqin Emperor slowly raised his head, speaking out and declaring several imperial edicts, and then began to withdraw from the royal court.

Many cabinet ministers who were originally full of excitement and expectation were first stunned, and then they were disappointed, in disbelief, even in so much anger that their entire bodies were trembling outside the throne room. They were completely speechless, forcefully swinging their sleeves and leaving.

These past few days, Lin Xi’s name had appeared many times on the memorials to the emperor from many officials from every sector.

The destruction of Great Mang’s thirty thousand troops on Meteor Lake’s southern shore mudflat was definitely mostly Lin Xi’s achievement. Afterwards, Lin Xi fought someone over his cultivation level, wearing the Yunqin priest robes that represented faith and glory, killing Xu Qiubai. Even if the following string of victories didn’t have any connection with him, just the effects of this battle alone already posed indescribable significance for Yunqin Empire, let alone the fact that he previously continuously assassinated more than twenty Great Mang high ranking officers.

Regardless of what happened before, even if Lin Xi established contributions as a sinner, these achievements couldn’t be hidden. That was why many officials expressed their intentions in their memorials to the emperor, regardless of whether it was tactfully, sincere, or intense, their intentions were the same. They hoped that Yunqin Emperor could grant Lin Xi the glory and affirmation he needed, some officials even more so hoping that Yunqin Emperor’s attitude would soften somewhat, perhaps he would even change his relationship with Green Luan Academy so that the war between Yunqin and Great Mang could go more smoothly.

However, what made all of these hot-blooded Yunqin officials feel anger, disappointment and even discouraged was that today, in the royal court, despite the emperor giving out rewards to all of the soldiers who completed these victories in a brilliant way, towards Lin XI, he didn’t even mention him, not even saying a single word about him.

What was lost here weren’t the hearts of the officials, but rather the people.

…

“You all actually had the qualifications to stand in the throne room and listen to the emperor’s will today. As such, I wish to hear your opinions.”

In the Grand Secretary courtyard, Wen Xuanshu looked at Xu Zhenyan and two other young officials, saying this.

One of the other two young officials was Wang Ling, his father Government Sector’s second rank Cabinet Minister, a great scholar mainly in charge of compiling and editing the information storage, the other Zhou Tianshui[2], his father an Internal Affairs Sector important member. These two both came from Green Luan Academy, their relations with Xu Zhenyan good in the academy, also up-and-coming youngsters who quickly rose up in Yunqin’s royal court, they received the admiration and praise of many ordinary officials. However, these two both understood extremely clearly that the reason for their quick ascent during this past year was all because of this Grand Secretary above them.

Right now, this Grand Secretary’s expression wasn’t icy cold, from the looks of it even a bit of kind and amiable feeling. However, as this Yunqin subject with the greatest authority became more and more powerful, right now, in the eyes of these two young elites, Wen Xuanshu was simply a deep sea that could completely submerge them at any time. This type of formless pressure made it so that the backs of these two youngsters always produced cold sweat.

However, Xu Zhenyan’s expression instead remained extremely cold and calm.

“His majesty’s reaction is quite strange.” When he heard Wen Xuanshu’s words, he didn’t show any hesitation, calmly saying, “Or perhaps it can be described as extremely abnormal.”

“Oh?”

Wen Xuanshu seemed to be quite interested as he gave him a look, saying, “Please elaborate.”

“Lin Xi is someone from Green Luan Academy. They similarly suffered an arrow, yet Lin Xi lived, while his majesty’s most cherished and only son died. Many people felt that his majesty has lost his rationality because of the crown prince’s death, but if one looks at it from the emperor’s point of view, this is only natural.” Xu Zhenyan calmly said, “In his majesty’s perspective, all of Yunqin Empire, including Green Luan Academy is naturally his. If Green Luan Academy completely respected the emperor’s will, not concentrating all of their forces around Gu Xinyin, Lin Xi and the other academy’s people, but rather around the crown prince, then the crown prince wouldn’t have died. Could it be that Gu Xinyin and Lin Xi are more important than the crown prince, the future Yunqin emperor?”

“However, regardless of the ending, Gu Xinyin and Lin Xi are alive, yet the crown prince is dead. Moreover, Vice Principal Xia even clearly threatened him. That is why his anger towards Green Luan Academy and towards Lin Xi is completely within normal reasoning.” After a slight pause, Xu Zhenyan then continued slowly, “However, the way his majesty handled the situation this time is not normal at all. It is because since Lin Xi did these types of things, his accomplishments are already impossible to wipe out. Moreover, his majesty’s new crown prince is also fine and well inside his mother’s belly. His current mood should be much better than previously. With the emperor’s intelligence and methods, no matter how angry he is inside, according to normal reasoning, he shouldn’t have acted in this manner. Just some random words about Lin Xi not currently being in the military, that rewards will be deferred for later discussion, or that they will be granted in Imperial City after the war is over would be enough. Even if a medal was directly granted, so what? Either way, as long as Lin Xi isn’t within Government Sector’s evaluations, he cannot assume any important role in the royal court.”

Wen Xuanshu revealed a faint smile, nodding and saying, “Continue.”

“His majesty’s actions will not only lose much of the popular will, it will also make his relations with much of the military unfavorable.” Xu Zhenyan said, slowly explaining, “His majesty is the ruler of a country, he must consider the price of every action. Meanwhile, this time, he has already made one feel that he already doesn’t care about any price, his hostility against Green Luan Academy is already completely clear. Moreover, if we survey all of the emperor’s actions from when he ascended to the throne, from the establishment of Thunder Academy, if one thinks about it carefully, he always viewed Green Luan Academy as the enemy even during those times when the borders were comparatively more peaceful, the times when Green Luan Academy were still striving their hardest for the empire. If he did consider the consequences, but still unflinchingly did these things, then there is only one possibility, which is that he has confidence that he can win… However, why does he believe so firmly that he can win? Even though Vice Principal Xia’s condition being poor is a fact, in this world, no one knows if Principal Zhang is alive or dead.”

When he spoke up to here, Wang Ling and Zhou Tianshui who were only listening both suddenly felt a chill surge within their heart, their expressions unable to help but turn deathly white.

Xu Zhenyan instead coldly and calmly continued. “What if Principal Zhang is still alive? Perhaps his shocking cultivation isn’t even needed, just his prestige alone makes it so that his majesty has no chance of winning. That is why the emperor’s reaction can be described as extremely abnormal.”

Wen Xuanshu looked deeply at Xu Zhenyan.

“When one views everyone as enemies, or perhaps this can be called the attitude of a type of wild beast, separated from the community, it can indeed allow your knowledge and experiences to reach a cut above the others.” A moment later, Wen Xuanshu smiled, saying this to Xu Zhenyan.

Xu Zhenyan bowed towards Wen Xuanshu, “I understand my own abilities, and I also understand clearly what kind of position I want to place myself in.”

“It is good that you understand.”

Wen Xuanshu put away his smile, calmly looking at Xu Zhenyan. “The abnormal you felt is precisely the abnormal I have felt. The reason why I called you over is precisely to find out the reason behind this abnormality. My people will accompany you in this matter.”

Xu Zhenyan’s face didn’t show any changes in expression, bowing again and saying, “Understood.”

Wen Xuanshu gave Wang Ling and Zhou Tianshui who were already completely drenched in cold sweat a look. “The reason why I like using youngsters like you all is because young people have ambitions, they dare do different things. Since you all might come into contact with some of the most shocking things in all of Yunqin Empire, in the future, you all might also be able to sit in some of the most shocking positions, perhaps you might even replace those elders. Wang Ling, you can help Xu Zhenyan investigate some matters through your father, Zhou Tianshui, what I need you to do is precisely to keep a close eye on Internal Affairs and Leng Family. I need to know Leng Family’s exact attitude.”

Even more cold sweat appeared on the bodies of Wang Ling and Zhou Tianshui, but a bit of a fanatical expression appeared in their eyes. The two both showed a deep bow. “We will not disappoint Grand Secretary Wen’s expectations.”

1. One of the medals which represents honor in Yunqin. It allows one to advance a rank in their official career.

2. Wang Ling and Zhou Tianshui were both previously Statecraft Department students in Green Luan Academy, Xu Zhenyan’s lackeys.