Chapter 510: The Army Arrives

Chapter 510: The Army Arrives

Even though she knew that this day would inevitably come, Sisi still felt a surge of rage and the urge to kill someone.

She understood that their idyllic days had now come to an end, disrupted by the unfolding war. Peaceful days like the ones they had been enjoying could not resume until the war concluded, and that was likely to be far into the future.

Zhao Changhe had completed this phase of his cultivation. While there might still be some secrets hidden here, they were not meant to be uncovered at this stage. Perhaps, when he returned someday, during one of the following summer-autumn transitions, he would bring Vermillion Bird and White Tiger to see if they could unveil further mysteries.

“I will return,” Zhao Changhe said, lowering his head to kiss her forehead. “Don’t look so sad. There are just some things we’ve got to do first.”

Sisi pouted, muttering, “Why couldn’t Lei Zhentang just stay put and rest properly? He’s really set on stirring things up, huh? I swear, he’s just asking to die!”

Zhao Changhe could not help but laugh. The immediate threat was clearly Di Muzhi coming to suppress the rebellion, and Lei Zhentang was supposed to be on her side, yet she cursed Lei Zhentang. It seemed Sisi had already lumped Di Muzhi and Lei Zhentang together, but Zhao Changhe was not ready to make such assumptions.

In any case, whether they were allies or not, there would inevitably be a struggle for dominance in Miaojiang. Sisi would have to face the Black Hmong sooner or later. It was only natural that she would direct her frustration at Lei Zhentang.

Zhao Changhe stood up tall, stretching his limbs. “Come on, I need to head out and assess the situation. At the moment, I don’t even know who I should be fighting.”

Indeed, he still did not know who the immediate enemy was.

In theory, Di Muzhi’s deployment was in response to the anti-Xia sentiment in Miaojiang. Even though it had taken more than a month for him to act—an astonishing delay—his reasons were still legitimate. Zhao Changhe could not exactly argue against the Shu Commandery intervening on behalf of the Xia people.

It was also possible that agents like Li Sian from the Demon Suppression Bureau had reported the situation to the imperial court, and only then had the court issued an order, resulting in the Shu Commandery’s slow response.

However, Zhao Changhe could not just side with Di Muzhi to suppress Miaojiang. The rebellion in Miaojiang, though driven in part by the Black Hmong’s ambitions, was primarily rooted in the public’s resentment against Di Muzhi’s extortion and oppression. Otherwise, the other tribes—such as the White Hmong and the Yao—would not have cooperated with the Black Hmong, and any ambitions Lei Zhentang harbored would have been stifled.

Zhao Changhe was fully aware that the hypothetical adversary he had been preparing to confront during his cultivation was not Lei Zhentang but Di Muzhi.

Whether Di Muzhi had some grand scheme or was simply motivated by greed and malice, he was the kind of corrupt official that, in Zhao Changhe’s previous pursuit of justice, would have been the first to face his blade.

But Di Muzhi was not an ordinary corrupt official; he was first on the Ranking of Man.

Perhaps the previous holders of that rank had only reached the first layer of the Profound Mysteries—such as Vulture Beak, who had advanced to the Ranking of Earth merely to fill a vacancy.

But it was also conceivable that such figures were only a step away from breaking through to the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, with the potential to do so at any moment. Given the time that had passed, Zhao Changhe had made rapid progress, but others would not have stayed stagnant. It was highly likely that Vulture Beak himself had now reached the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.

Likewise, Di Muzhi’s position on the Ranking of Man had not changed for many years. If he had reached the top since then, what about now?

To treat him as someone merely at the first layer of the Profound Mysteries would clearly be an underestimation. One had to assume he had reached the second layer, and maybe a good while back.

With Zhao Changhe’s previous level of power, attacking a corrupt official like that would have been utterly reckless, and he would have paid dearly for it.

But things were different now. Zhao Changhe had confidence in his current abilities.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “Here’s what we’ll do. You mobilize and prepare your troops, and I’ll go meet Di Muzhi.”

The general by the tree noticed the commotion and shouted, “What’s going on over there?”

“General Di, there’s a man here claiming to be from the Demon Suppression Bureau.”

“From the Demon Suppression Bureau? Let me see your token.”

Zhao Changhe pulled out the jade token from a distance.

“Pfft...” The general could not quite make out the details of the token, but he immediately recognized its color, causing him to spit out a mouthful of wine and cough. “A jade token... An elite agent of the Demon Suppression Bureau!”

At his words, his deputy and the guards around him began shuffling to conceal items, even trying to usher the soldiers beside them away.

The general waved his hand nonchalantly. “What are you hiding all that for? Invite our Demon Suppression Bureau colleague over for a chat.”

Zhao Changhe urged his horse closer, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Those “soldiers” the guards were trying to hide were not soldiers at all—they were women.

Not only were they women, but they also had vacant stares, traces of blood on them, and an unmistakable look of terror as they stood by in forced servitude.

Zhao Changhe’s gaze passed over what they had not had time to hide...

It was the severed head of a Xia villager, the blood still fresh.

“Ah, what might be the esteemed name of this agent?” The general continued, seemingly unfazed by what Zhao Changhe had seen, rising with a grin to greet him. “Jade tokens are rare indeed—your authority is on par with our prefectural governor. Come, come, join us for a drink... The governor will arrive any moment now.”

“As an agent, my name is not to be disclosed,” Zhao Changhe said flatly, dismounting from his horse.

“Ah, of course, of course. I wasn’t thinking straight. Haha.” The general approached, ostensibly to lend a supporting hand, and discreetly passed a piece of gold into Zhao Changhe’s hand.

Zhao Changhe accepted it.

Seeing this, the general’s smile grew even wider, and he immediately pulled one of the women from his side, pushing her into Zhao Changhe’s arms. “See, we’re all comrades here...”

Zhao Changhe could feel the woman trembling in fear. One hand rested on the hilt of his saber, and beneath his seemingly calm gaze lay a chilling intent to kill.

In the distance, a cloud of dust rose. Di Muzhi’s main army had arrived.

Zhao Changhe slowly released his grip, choosing not to alert his prey for now. He let out a hearty laugh. “I have urgent business. I have no time to accompany you here, general. Once I’ve met with Prefectural Governor Di and completed my mission, I will gladly return to drink with you—to toast to the Yellow Springs.”

The general found the remark rather ominous, a little too similar to the vulgar threats of Situ Xiao, who spoke endlessly of the Yellow Springs. He waved his hand dismissively. “Since the prefectural governor has arrived, I must attend the banquet as well. Let’s go together.”

1. There’s a brand of cigarettes that sounds somewhat similar, but it’s Liqun (利群). ☜