Chapter 1 The Gentle Rain

The fine rain fell, removing the dust, making the inside and outside of the military camp seem a little quieter.

In fact, the military camp should be a very noisy place, at least for the soldiers and generals inside. But to outsiders, it was often extremely quiet, like a fierce beast choosing someone to devour, its eyes coldly sweeping around.

Tian Wujing's figure appeared outside the central military camp, accompanied by a Daoist priest.

If Zheng Boye were here, he would recognize him.

He had seen this warlock, whose Daoist name was Zuixianweng (Drunken Immortal), arranging a formation for Shatuo Queshi's corpse when he was in the Zhenbei (North Garrison) Marquis mansion. Because of Xiao Liuzi, Zuixianweng even came over to say a few idle words.

During the reign of the previous Emperor of Great Yan, the court favored alchemists, warlocks, and various deities. For a time, Daoism, Buddhism, and other schools caused Yanjing City to become a chaotic mess.

After the Yan Emperor succeeded to the throne, he swept away the old ways, almost starting a wave of eradicating Buddhism and Daoism. Other gods and ghosts were also cleaned up and arrested.

They had eaten so much from the royal family in the past, and in the end, they had to pay it back double.

But this didn't mean that there were no more outsiders in Yan. Not to mention those far away, even the old eunuch in the palace was a Qi refiner, wasn't he?

The Yan Emperor valued skills and didn't bother with laws. Outsiders who could be used by him were still welcomed by the court.

Zuixianweng was one of them; he really had some tricks up his sleeve.

However,

on the battlefield, the scale of fighting between millions of soldiers, in the picturesque scene of clashing swords and armored horses, there was really no room for Daoist robes, kasayas, or the headgear of warlocks.

Adding them would just seem cumbersome.

This wasn't their battlefield, and they could hardly play a substantial role here.

That was why the Qian Kingdom's Cang Fuzi didn't guard the three borders but went deep into Yanjing to cut off the dragon vein, because his skills were actually insignificant in the face of the overwhelming iron cavalry, or at least, couldn't muster up that kind of power.

There were countless paths to cultivation, and countless paths under one's feet, but most still led in different directions, each pulling on one side.

Zuixianweng said,

"When I came, I heard from the scouts that Lord Pingye has made another great contribution. It's right here in your Royal Highness's central army, so why haven't I seen him?"

Tian Wujing said,

"The battle at Xishan Fort is at a stalemate. Li Fusheng has been attacking for a long time without success. Yesterday, this king sent him to help with the command."

Zuixianweng smiled when he heard this. "This is indeed difficult for Li Fusheng. As a native of Beifeng County, he has been leading troops in the vast desert for half his life. How would he know how to attack a city?"

"Zheng Fan seems to be from Beifeng County too."

"That one is an anomaly."

"An anomaly?"

"Yes."

Tian Wujing stood on the hillside, looking out at the front, with the towering and solemn military camps behind him.

"According to the habits of Jianghu (martial world) warlocks, are you going to say that you thought he was extraordinary when you first saw him?"

"Hahahaha, not really, not really. If I had really seen it, how could I have just met him in passing? But the ten words that Zheng Boye once said, this old man has always kept in mind.

He said that what warlocks like this old man do is nothing more than saying human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts."

"That's apt."

"Indeed, it's a pity that I didn't get to feel Zheng Boye's bones back then."

"When he comes back in a couple of days, you can feel them again and say a few words of good fortune. He'll be happy too."

"He'll be back in two days?"

Xishan Fort should be difficult to attack, otherwise Li Fusheng, a veteran of the battlefield, wouldn't have been stuck there for so long.

Just then,

a team of personal guards rode over on horseback.

"Your Highness, west line battle report! Our army has entered Xishan Fort and is clearing out the remaining enemies!"

Tian Wujing waved his hand.

The guards immediately withdrew.

Zuixianweng stroked his white beard and sighed. "It's been breached?"

Tian Wujing nodded and said, "It was earlier than I expected."

"How was it done?"

"You can ask him yourself tomorrow."

"Your Highness, you don't know either?"

"Does His Majesty need to personally study magic to use you to do things?"

"Your Highness is absolutely right."

Tian Wujing sat down on the ground.

Zuixianweng also sat down cross-legged on the side and said,

"This old man also saw that Eunuch Huang from the palace has arrived."

"Yes, he brought an imperial edict."

"It must be extremely important."

"His Majesty asked this king how long this battle will take."

Zuixianweng's expression suddenly froze. He really didn't expect the Jingnan Prince to say His Majesty's edict in front of him.

How could an edict sent by a red-robed eunuch from thousands of miles away be simple?

Why go to so much trouble?

Isn't it because this edict isn't convenient to put on paper!

"This..."

Tian Wujing said calmly,

"His Majesty is counting the days, trying to hold on until the campaign against Chu is over."

Although Zuixianweng was an outsider and should have been detached from worldly affairs, after hearing these words, his body trembled several times in a row.

If he were alone, he wouldn't be afraid of anything, but he has disciples and grandchildren.

The world thinks that heavenly secrets are mysterious and unfathomable, but the power struggles in the court are the real horror.

Tian Wujing turned his head and looked at the south. Zhennan Pass was in that direction.

"His Majesty has always been ambitious and doesn't like to admit defeat. Since he said he wants to hold on, he will definitely be able to hold on until the campaign against Chu is over.

When you came to Jin, you should have passed through the capital. Didn't you go see it?"

Zuixianweng's face was already a little sallow. He really didn't want to get involved in this kind of topic. Any carelessness could cause him to fall into an abyss.

But, after hesitating for a while, he relaxed.

Since the prince in front of him had asked and said it so calmly, then he would listen and answer calmly.

In any case, this person in front of him disdains and could not possibly be a snitch. If he continued to cower, he would lose face.

"I went to Yanjing, ate roast duck, and met Eunuch Wei, but I didn't get to see His Majesty. His Majesty still trusts the imperial physicians more."

Saying that,

Zuixianweng shook his head again and said,

"What people like us should do, I think the old eunuch in the palace had already done it. Now, we can only rely on the imperial physicians.

However, it's better if I didn't know. Since I do, from today on, I will chant scriptures for His Majesty every night."

"He would only find it annoying. Back then, when he knew that I had practiced Daoism, he asked me, 'Do you also want to prove the Dao and ask about heavenly secrets?'"

Zuixianweng smiled. He thought the Jingnan Prince was reminiscing about the past, because everyone knew that in the early years, the former Jingnan Prince used to play with His Majesty, who was still the crown prince, and Li Liangting, the heir.

"I said, I don't know." The Jingnan Prince continued to narrate, "He said, if you don't know, just ask him."

Zuixianweng tasted something wrong.

Tian Wujing's eyes narrowed slightly, and he continued slowly,

"He always wanted to be a true emperor, a real supreme ruler.

He said,

the will of Heaven must be presented through celestial phenomena. After the celestial phenomena appear, we still have to rely on the people from the Imperial Observatory to guess. If they guess wrong, misunderstand, then it's all in vain.

And the true emperor, with his words as law, can decide the lives of all people with a word, and destroy a country with a sword.

The Dao of Heaven is too high, too far, too ethereal;

the emperor

is right here."

"His Majesty is accomplished in both civil and military affairs. Among the emperors of ancient times, few could match him."

But Tian Wujing said,

"But the Dao of Heaven is vast and ethereal, and the emperors of the world can never escape the dream of each dynasty."

"Actually, Your Highness, the reason why this old man entered Yan was because when I observed the celestial phenomena at night, I discovered that the Purple Star was flashing in the northwest of Zhuxia. That's why I entered Yan, seeking an opportunity to prove the Dao through the Emperor's Qi.

I think

that Qian Kingdom's Cang Fuzi also deduced this and then went to Yanjing City to carry out the act of cutting off the dragon vein. The lotus flowers bloomed completely, with only one remaining lotus returning."

"Although this king cultivates the Dao, I have always been too lazy to pay attention to mystical things.

The homeland of Great Yan was defended by countless ancestors who fought and killed for eight hundred years;

this Jin land was also personally conquered by this king, leading the warriors of Great Yan;

what heavenly will is there, what destiny is there, what national destiny should be like this?

If you really think that way, you are just desecrating the Yan warriors buried in the desolate graves."

"Yes."

Zuixianweng didn't want to argue, because he could see that even though the Jingnan Prince himself knew some Daoist techniques, his essence was actually the same as His Majesty's.

"How is Wang River?"

The main topic had arrived.

Zuixianweng immediately said, "The Fifth Prince has been very helpful. Although I am proficient in hydrology and celestial phenomena, the Fifth Prince's ingenuity and skill have really opened my eyes.

Now, we are already diverting water, but to ensure that everything goes smoothly when the floodgates are opened, we still need more time."

Tian Wujing shook his head and said,

"Time cannot be given, but you can tell Yingdu that, in addition to the transportation of grain and weapons, the rest of the conscripted laborers can be used for river work."

Now that Xishan Fort and Dongshan Fort have been breached one after another, the Chu people's defense system before Zhennan Pass is equivalent to having a huge gap opened up. Taking down the remaining military forts and camps will not be difficult.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Zuixianweng actually came this time for this matter. Originally, the officials in Yingdu should have come, but no one dared to provoke the Jingnan Prince.

"Remember, you once felt the bones of those princes."

"Yes, Your Highness. The First Prince is a fierce tiger opening up territory, the Crown Prince is a hidden dragon in the wilderness..."

"Talk about Sixth."

"The Sixth Prince, the Sixth Prince is a wealthy idler."

"Sixth is the most like His Majesty. Are you saying that His Majesty is also a wealthy idler?"

Zuixianweng smiled and said, "Of course, it needs to be avoided."

Next, the Jingnan Prince didn't ask any further questions.

Instead, he stood up,

and reached out, beckoning.

In the distance, a personal guard on horseback, who was on alert, came over to await orders.

"Pass down the order, today the central army is allowed to drink alcohol."

"Yes!"

Normally, drinking alcohol privately in the army is forbidden, and those who violate the order will be beheaded!

But sometimes, the commander will allow drinking to boost morale, but this will inevitably be controlled, and it is absolutely forbidden for anyone to actually get drunk.

Zuixianweng stroked his beard,

and smiled,

"It seems that this old man has a good fortune today, and can also get a bowl of water wine to drink here with Your Highness. Is Your Highness celebrating because Xishan Fort was breached?"

Tian Wujing shook his head,

and said calmly,

"No, I'm just happy."