Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 405: Chapter 402: Gathering Intelligence

Arriving at the front courtyard, Huang Cheng was already seated in the front hall with two red-robed eunuchs, waiting.

Seeing everyone enter, Huang Cheng put down his teacup and clasped his fists in salute.

Chu Minghou waved his hand: ”Huang Cheng, no need for formalities. The Imperial Decree is for Yuan’er, right?”

Huang Cheng immediately smiled, clasping his fists to Chu Zhiyuan: ”Princely Heir, the Emperor has decreed, requesting the Princely Heir to lead the Phoenix Camp to quell the rebellion in the Great Willow Camp of Jihai Town.”

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists towards the direction of the Imperial Palace, but there was no joy on his face.

”Princely Heir, please accept the decree.” Huang Cheng noticed his reluctance.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”The Phoenix Camp has just returned and hasn’t fully recuperated. Over two hundred Grandmasters have just left, and the personnel gap hasn’t been filled. At this time, it’s really unsuitable to mobilize.”

Huang Cheng chuckled, ”Princely Heir, the Emperor’s command cannot be defied, better to accept the decree.”

Chu Minghou hurriedly said, ”Yuan’er, quickly accept the decree!”

He was so anxious that he nearly stamped his foot.

Truly frightened by Chu Zhiyuan’s boldness, actually not wanting to accept the decree.

In his eyes, this was outrageous, unimaginable.

Chu Zhiyuan reluctantly stepped forward and accepted the Imperial Decree handed over by Huang Cheng.

Huang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Chu Minghou wiped the layer of sweat off his forehead, Bai Ningshuang took out a silk handkerchief to help him wipe the sweat, and gave Chu Zhiyuan a sideways glance, annoyed at his recklessness.

Chu Yi widened her bright eyes, staring at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan slowly unfolded the imperial decree, read the contents, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

The authority granted to him in the imperial decree was extremely high, allowing him to act at his discretion.

Whether to suppress or pacify, he could decide as he pleased, without needing to report further.

Additionally, Ding Shaoqiang was to be escorted back to Yujing City to await interrogation by the authorities.

Chu Zhiyuan couldn’t help but think of the previous mission to Fuyuan Town.

The two missions were similar, yet different.

The previous mission was accompanied by the Chasing Wind Cavalry, this time it was the Phoenix Camp.

Moreover, this time, he had to lead the effort to suppress the Great Willow Camp.

This was not a pleasant task.

Fortunately, he had sufficient authority.

But regardless, it still involved cleaning up after Ding Shaoqiang.

Moreover, this matter seemed to be a case of overkill, the combat power of the Phoenix Camp handling the Great Willow Camp was like taking candy from a baby.

Actually, there was no need to mobilize the Phoenix Camp, a few hundred experts from the Military Suppression Department could also get it done.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Imperial Envoy Huang, does the Emperor have any other instructions?”

Huang Cheng smiled and said, ”The Majesty said, investigate this matter thoroughly, dig deeper, and get it clarified.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised a sword-like brow, thoughtful: ”This matter isn’t simple?”

Huang Cheng smiled.

The Princely Heir was indeed worthy of being the Princely Heir, understanding at a touch, extremely wise.

Chu Zhiyuan calmly said, ”The Emperor hasn’t ordered to set off immediately, has he?”

Huang Cheng replied, ”The Majesty wants the Phoenix Camp to depart within ten days.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Ten days would be enough to fill the manpower gap and allow for a bit of training.

Once Huang Cheng left, they continued to the back courtyard for dinner.

Chu Minghou uneasily said, ”Yuan’er, your conduct was inappropriate today. Once the decree is given, it must be followed. How can you bargain, let alone refuse to accept it!”

Chu Zhiyuan quickly nodded.

He was considering sending a letter to Meng Canglan, asking her to inquire about the situation in Jihai Town.

The east was, after all, the Wuyou Sect’s territory; no one was more familiar with the situation in Jihai Town than the Wuyou Sect.

——

Outside the South City, a manor stood where the valley of the Yuding Sect once was.

In the bright sunshine of the morning, Chu Zhiyuan was by the pool in the valley.

He assumed the Purple Sun Stance, observing the stone walls with his eyes, with Super Sensing Illumination on the mountain wall’s condition.

Indeed, nothing unusual.

No peculiar aura, no trace of a secret land anymore.

As if a dream, leaving no mark upon waking.

Even though the strange rocks underground were excavated, the Purple Light was still dense here, making it a sacred site for cultivating the Purple Sun Scripture.

He stood in the Purple Sun Stance, circulating the Purple Sun Scripture, while observing the surroundings for changes.

By the time Meng Canglan appeared, he had been practicing for an hour.

The harvest felt good.

This place was indeed a wonderful spot for cultivating the Purple Sun Scripture.

Meng Canglan appeared alone in an emerald-green robe, elegant and graceful, exuding charm.

Chu Zhiyuan looked around and smiled, ”Miss Meng, is it just you?”

Meng Canglan smiled, ”They each have their own matters to attend to; it just so happened that I am outside the city.”

Chu Zhiyuan gestured for her to sit together in the small pavilion.

Zou Fang served the tea and then stepped back.

Before Chu Zhiyuan could say much, Meng Canglan had already begun speaking about the Great Willow Camp incident.

”It’s a straightforward issue, just a case of soldiers rebelling under oppressive officials, such occurrences are actually not uncommon in the Eastern Territory.”

Chu Zhiyuan was taken aback, ”Not uncommon?”

Meng Canglan nodded, ”Several such incidents have already occurred in the Eastern Territory.”

Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his sword-like brows.

Meng Canglan continued, ”These matters have been covered up in the end, not spread out, often by reassurement, mitigating the impact, and the Court just turns a blind eye.”

”All by pacification?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Meng Canglan said, ”Of the eight cases I know, all were placated, returned to camp, got promoted, and then ceased causing trouble.”

”This...” Chu Zhiyuan believed he had prepared himself to face a rotten situation.

Yet he hadn’t expected it to be this rotten.

If such matters could be covered up, it showed a truly powerful influence.

”Whose people are involved?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

”Those of the State Duke Mansion, Prince Mansion, and even the Duke Mansion, Marquis Mansion, and Marquis Mansion.”

”The pot calling the kettle black, they’re all the same.” Chu Zhiyuan sneered.

”...Yes.” Meng Canglan nodded.

Chu Zhiyuan looked up towards the direction of the Imperial Palace.

This matter surely couldn’t be hidden from the Inspection Department, nor from the Emperor.

Sending the Phoenix Camp, was it just to deal with the Great Willow Camp?

Might it not be to use the opportunity to disrupt the Eastern Territory’s situation to cleanse it, clarifying the realm?

This was pushing him into the fire pit.

Suppressing his turbulent thoughts, Chu Zhiyuan calmly asked, ”Is there any issue with Ding Shaoqiang?”

”Ding Shaoqiang himself has no issues, being honest and just as an official, with a decent reputation.”

”So why then...?”

”But he doesn’t excel at military governance, nor at managing subordinates.”

”Then how did he become a General?” Chu Zhiyuan was puzzled.

Being a General wasn’t something an ordinary person could achieve; it was the position of a regional powerhouse.

Without experiencing multiple major wars, without establishing extraordinary military achievements, there was no qualification to hold this position.

These were achievements built on solid merits, no exceptions.

”He excels at preparing and organizing military provisions and logistics,” Meng Canglan said, ”and having rendered exceptional service, he rose to the position of General.”

”Exceptional service?”

”Reportedly found a ruin which was recorded by the Heavenly Treasure Department.”

”...That could indeed be considered exceptional service, naturally making his merits very high,” Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

If the site was extremely important, the merit would be enormous, though rising straight to General was indeed rare.

Throughout Da Jing, almost no one else had such an opportunity.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Even with great merits, Deputy General would be the ceiling.”

Only responsible for logistics, obviously hadn’t personally led in combat, being made General was truly absurd.

In the Western Realm and Northern Territory, no matter how great his merits, he couldn’t become a General.

But this was in the Eastern Territory, where there’s no warfare, at most dealing with bandits.

Being a General in the Eastern Territory without ever leading troops in battle was absurd, yet not beyond imagination.

Meng Canglan did not comment further, continuing, ”He comes from a humble background; from his perspective, the hardships endured by soldiers didn’t seem as such, but the soldiers didn’t see it the same way, pulling all sorts of tricks and playing lazy, provoking him to anger.”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”But still, he shouldn’t kill.”

”According to what I heard, he didn’t intend to kill, but at that moment, the situation forced his personal soldiers to kill.”

”Then whose fault was it?”

”It was mainly the soldiers’ doing; the Great Willow Camp had a notorious reputation.”