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Chapter 155: Even the Hujiao Army Wants Him? They Can’t Sit Still!
🕑 Added 2024-10-24 07:20:34 +0000 UTCThe offer extended by the Lieyang Army was generous—select any of the elite ten battalions, along with a fief equivalent to a third-class earl’s estate.
However, Zhao Xing didn’t hesitate and directly declined.
“I owe my allegiance to the Shenwei Army. Helian daren, please return.”
Helian Lie immediately understood Zhao Xing’s resolve. Without pressing further, he stood up and took his leave.
“How did it go?” a ritual master asked as he waited outside the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.
Helian Lie shook his head slightly.
“He only said one sentence, ‘I owe my allegiance to the Shenwei Army.’ He didn’t even bother to explain further, which shows there’s no room for negotiation.”
The ritual master sighed. “You should’ve let me go in to talk to him.”
Helian Lie shook his head again. “That’s impossible. You're a ritual master known for your eloquence. This is about recruiting talent, not engaging in battle. Why would the Shennong Division allow you to enter?”
“They sent me because the task was simple—offer straightforward conditions. If he agrees, great. If not, then that’s that.”
“It’s a pity,” said Lei, the same ritual master who had been working with Helian Lie. He sighed and added, “Zhao Xing is far superior to Zhuo Li, and most other Military Shennong can’t compare to him either.”
“It is indeed a shame,” Helian Lie agreed, thinking of the records he’d seen of Zhao Xing’s performance since he had entered the Shennong Division in March of the 16th year of the Jingxin Era until February of the 17th year.
“Securing him would be even better than getting Shi Yong.”
“Let’s go back and ask the Marquis if we can sweeten the deal a bit more,” the ritual master chuckled. “A talent like Zhao Xing is worth a hundred Zhuo Lis. I feel like we should keep trying to see if there’s something that might sway him.”
“Just don’t let Zhuo Li hear that,” Helian Lie responded flatly. “What you say may be true, but it’s best not to say it out loud.”
“I know, I know. I’m only saying this to you.”
The two of them chatted as they walked away, gradually disappearing into the distance.
Inside the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, Zhao Xing smiled lightly to himself.
“They didn’t even show any sincerity.”
An elite battalion from the Lieyang Army? After completing his training, he was sure to enter the elite division of the Shenwei Army.
A third-class earl’s fief? That was a decent offer. The fief of a third-class earl was usually a county. However, these counties were often lower or middle-ranked ones. A high-ranked county, such as Gu County with its Spirit Mountains, would be out of reach for most earls.
In the current era of Emperor Jing, a third-class earl’s fief was still hard to come by.
The Marquis of Yangwu’s fief contained fifty counties.
Offering Zhao Xing one county as a fief was indeed a significant offer. Why, then, did Zhao Xing feel there was no sincerity behind it?
Because the location of the fief wasn’t within the Marquis’ own territory.
The Marquis of Yangwu’s domain was in Cuiyue County, a prosperous inland region. Most of the counties there were high-ranked. Although his fief only took up a tenth of the Cuiyue region, it was still prime territory.
If the offer had been for a county within Cuiyue, that would indeed be an enviable reward.
However, the Marquis had mentioned “Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.”
And what was Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture?
It was a frontier territory!
During the reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, the borders along the Canglan River had been in constant flux due to conflicts with the southern barbarian tribes. Both emperors, although they engaged in fewer large-scale battles, had frequent skirmishes on the eastern and southern fronts.
As anyone with knowledge of the Shennong Division could tell you, if the source of a major river like the Canglan River was controlled by the barbarian tribes, it would spell disaster for the farming officials working downstream in regions like Pinghai Prefecture.
So why not simply conquer those lands?
The answer lay in history.
Emperor Taizu, who founded the dynasty, had once pushed his armies deep into the southern barbarian lands, but he later withdrew his forces to the northern side of the Canglan River and made peace with the tribes. His primary focus was on dealing with the more pressing threat from the sea tribes.
Since then, none of his successors had managed to accomplish what he couldn’t.
Emperor Wen’s reign was focused on recovery and reconstruction, so large-scale battles were rare during his time.
However, by Emperor Jing’s reign, the dynasty had grown stronger, and the emperor began to focus on the Pinghai region, leading to several small conflicts with the southern barbarians.
Finally, during the Dingxin Era, the dynasty managed to conquer a portion of the territory south of the river, known as Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.
But even after two hundred years of attempts to solidify control, Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture remained unstable. The barbarian tribes constantly fought to reclaim it, knowing that if it became a fully developed territory, it would serve as a launchpad for future attacks on their homeland.
Thus, Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture was embroiled in constant conflict. One decade, it would be under the control of the dynasty, and the next, it would fall back into the hands of the barbarians.
While Emperor Jing was generous in granting land in Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture, it was land plagued by instability. What good was land that couldn’t be developed?
The Marquis of Yangwu was offering Zhao Xing a county in such a volatile region. While it might have seemed like a big gesture, to Zhao Xing, it lacked genuine sincerity. In the Marquis’ eyes, however, offering a county to a mere ninth-ranked official was a substantial gesture, even if it was in a place like Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.
But Zhao Xing, well-versed in the politics and history of the empire, knew better. Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture wasn’t suitable for any kind of permanent fief, let alone one meant to be cultivated and developed.
The tumultuous state of Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture had also been a significant point of criticism against Emperor Jing.
Many nobles who were granted fiefs in the region felt deeply dissatisfied. It was land, yes, but land that came with the constant fear of barbarian invasions.
Emperor Jing himself had felt frustrated by the situation. After years of trying to push through reforms and military campaigns, he had finally decided to end the Dingxin Era and usher in the Jingxin Era, with the hopes of launching a full-scale campaign against the southern barbarians.
At first, his campaigns were successful, yielding substantial victories.
However, as the empire’s forces pushed deeper into foreign territory, the long supply lines became a major issue, and the empire began to suffer setbacks.
The failure of these campaigns led to the loss of many elite forces.
These struggles, coupled with internal dissent from the noble families and various sects, eventually forced Emperor Jing to withdraw his forces back north of the Canglan River, undoing much of the progress that had been made.
In the end, the empire managed to retain only a fraction of what it had gained in Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.
While Emperor Jing’s overall legacy remained strong, the setbacks in Jiutian Yingyuan were a bitter reminder of the empire’s limitations.
This marked the end of the Jingxin Era, which lasted for thirty-seven years. After that, the dynasty entered the “Great Peace” and “Eternal Peace” periods—mere names suggesting prosperity, but devoid of significant military activity.
Zhao Xing was well aware of all this history, which was why he had no interest in a fief within Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.
After rejecting the offer from the Lieyang Army, Zhao Xing returned to his courtyard in the Shennong Division. However, it wasn’t long before more visitors began to arrive, seeking to win him over.
In the Shennong Division's Tianshi Academy, a captain and a middle-aged scholar walked into the Snow Pine Seven Mountain Courtyard.
“What? You want me and Old Cheng to act as lobbyists for your Xuanjia Army?” Ge Jinsong’s face twitched with irritation. “Are you trying to humiliate me?”
Memories of Zhao Xing’s stellar performance over the past year flashed through Ge Jinsong’s mind.
In March, Zhao Xing had ranked 29th in the entrance exams.
In April, during division training, he consistently ranked near the top, eventually earning a place in the Dili Academy.
In May, he demonstrated his leadership abilities during the “Intractable Training.”
By June, during the supply line training, he ranked second, even surpassing talents like Xia Jing.
By July, during the Nine Section Battlefield training, he comprehended the Seasonal Qi Command, reaching the fourth stage of realization. He even defeated Cheng Qingming’s disciple Feng Qiu in battle.
During Liu Tianning’s straw puppet technique class, Zhao Xing passed all six tests with ease, showcasing a mastery of the straw puppet techniques that surpassed even the top talents of Taicang Academy.
And as the months went by, Zhao Xing only continued to improve.
August, September, October…
In the Pinghuai Academy's flood management training, Zhao Xing demonstrated exceptional skill, even outshining experienced Shennong officials. While his peers like Shi Yong and Zhuang Zhiqing excelled in individual techniques, Zhao Xing’s strength lay in his comprehensive approach to problems. Once again, Zhao Xing ranked first.
In the Tianshi Academy’s natural disaster training, Zhao Xing excelled in managing 47 types of disasters, from insect plagues to meteor showers. His coordination with the military during these exercises was impeccable, earning him yet another top ranking.
As the intensity of the training increased, many of the division’s top talents began to struggle. But Zhao Xing continued to rise, seemingly without limit.
Ge Jinsong couldn’t help but sigh at how Zhao Xing’s abilities had shattered his previous expectations. During the many months of rigorous training, Zhao Xing had shown talents far beyond what anyone initially expected.
Not just his individual strength, but his grasp of leadership and coordination in large-scale operations set him apart from the others. Ge Jinsong had witnessed this firsthand, and now hearing that Zhao Xing was being considered for recruitment by another army made him both frustrated and resentful.
The captain accompanying the scholar could see that Ge Jinsong was growing more agitated by the moment. Trying to calm him down, the scholar interjected, “Ge daren, please don’t misunderstand. We are not here to disrespect you. We’ve come with a serious proposition—one that could clear up your past doubts.”
Ge Jinsong’s face darkened, and his fists clenched.
“My past doubts? You mean when I overlooked his potential? Is that why you think I should come crawling back to him now? Ridiculous!” Ge Jinsong slammed his hand down on the table. “I was wrong once. That much is clear, but I don’t need you to come here and remind me!”
“Ge daren, please hear us out!” the scholar urged, sensing Ge Jinsong’s anger. “Think about it. Zhao Xing has been excelling throughout the year, and you were the one who initially oversaw his training. If you play a part in bringing him into the Xuanjia Army, then your earlier oversight will be seen as nothing more than a minor blip in your otherwise brilliant career. In fact, by helping bring him to our ranks, you will be seen as the one who recognized and guided his potential!”
Ge Jinsong paused for a moment, considering the scholar’s words. It was true—if he could bring Zhao Xing into the Xuanjia Army, his earlier misjudgment might be overlooked. People would only remember that it was Ge Jinsong who helped Zhao Xing achieve greatness.
The scholar continued, sensing Ge Jinsong’s hesitation. “Zhao Xing is destined for greatness. By helping him now, you’re not just redeeming yourself—you’re aligning yourself with one of the brightest stars in the empire. Think of the future. His success will reflect well on everyone who supported him. His accomplishments could be your accomplishments.”
Ge Jinsong’s anger slowly faded as he mulled over the proposal. The scholar’s words made sense. If Zhao Xing were to achieve great things under his recommendation, it would be a victory not just for the Xuanjia Army but for Ge Jinsong as well.
After a long pause, Ge Jinsong sighed heavily. “Fine. I’ll give it a try. I’ll speak to Zhao Xing and see if he’s willing to consider the offer.”
The scholar smiled, clearly pleased with Ge Jinsong’s change of heart. “Thank you, Ge daren. I knew you would see reason.”
With that, Ge Jinsong and the scholar made their way toward the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.
Meanwhile, at the Shennong Division’s main camp, more visitors had arrived, each one eager to make their own offer to Zhao Xing.
At the same time, in the Shenwei Army’s garrison in Yang City, the situation was growing tense. Huang Chengzhi, a ninth-grade officer of the Shenwei Army, knelt before a shrine dedicated to the gods of speed, burning incense and muttering prayers under his breath.
He was burning letter after letter, each one requesting help from his superiors in Xier Prefecture.
“Report! Urgent news, commander!” A soldier rushed in, interrupting Huang Chengzhi’s prayers.
“Speak!” Huang Chengzhi demanded, standing up abruptly. “What’s the situation?”
“Three more groups are heading toward the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard! And among them is an officer from the Hujiao Army!”
“What?!” Huang Chengzhi’s face turned pale. “Those bastards from the Hujiao Army are trying to steal Zhao Xing from us now? Keep an eye on them and report back to me immediately with any updates!”
“Yes, sir!” The soldier saluted and quickly left.
Once the soldier was gone, Huang Chengzhi returned to his shrine, kneeling down once more. This time, his voice was more urgent.
“Please, gods of speed, make sure my letters reach Xier Prefecture quickly. We need more support! The competition is getting fierce, and I can’t hold them off by myself!”
Just as Huang Chengzhi finished his prayer, the flames in the incense holder flickered, and a faint voice echoed from one of the deity statues. “Stop burning letters! This is the fourth urgent dispatch you’ve sent today. The letters have already arrived in Xier Prefecture. No more burning!”
The flames extinguished themselves, and even the letter Huang Chengzhi had been burning was spit back out of the brazier.
Relieved, Huang Chengzhi whispered, “So they’ve received the message… Good, good. Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, you’d better hurry up and get here. The other armies are moving fast, and I can’t handle this pressure alone.”
Back at the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, the day continued with more visitors arriving, each with their own agenda. The Shenwei Army’s rivals were all vying for Zhao Xing’s talents.
As more and more people arrived to try and sway Zhao Xing to their cause, the competition became more intense. And the offers kept getting more tempting.
By the end of the day, Zhao Xing had received invitations from nearly every major military faction in the region. But despite all the attention, Zhao Xing remained calm. He knew that his training was far from over, and no matter what offers came his way, his loyalty to the Shenwei Army would not waver.
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