Chapter 156: The Tiger Flood Army Came to Poach Too? Can't Sit Still Anymore!

A Third-Rank Earl's fief, plus free choice of any of the ten elite camps — these were the terms Lieyang Army offered to win him over.

But Zhao Xing didn't hesitate at all and refused outright.

"I am indebted to Divine Might Army; Lord Helian, please go back."

Helian Lie immediately understood Zhao Xing's resolve, said no more, rose, and left.

"How did it go?" Outside the Eighteen Locust Willows Court, a Ritualist asked.

Helian Lie shook his head slightly.

"He only said one line, 'I am indebted to Divine Might Army' — he didn't even bother to explain further. Clearly, there's nothing to discuss."

The Ritualist said, "You should have let me go in and talk."

Helian Lie shook his head again. "Impossible. A Ritualist is silver-tongued, sure, but this is recruiting talent, not a fight between enemies. How could the Agricultural Office possibly allow you in?"

"Sending me was meant to be straightforward — lay out the terms, take it or leave it."

"What a pity." The Ritualist surnamed Lei was the same one who had come with Helian Lie back then. He sighed now. "He's far better than Zhuo Li; ordinary military Agricultural Officials can't even be compared to him."

"It is a pity." Helian Lie recalled the records he had seen at the Agricultural Office, which documented Zhao Xing's performance from March of the sixteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar through February of the seventeenth year.

"Having him would be better than having Shi Yong."

"Let's go back and ask the Marquis, see if we can raise the price a bit more." The Ritualist smiled. "Zhao Xing alone is worth a hundred Zhuo Lis. I feel we can still try — see if there's anything that might move him."

"Don't let Zhuo Li hear you say that." Helian Lie said lightly. "It's true, but don't say it."

"Do I look like I don't know that? I'm only saying it to you."

The two talked as they gradually walked away.

Inside the Eighteen Locust Willows Court.

Zhao Xing merely smiled faintly.

"Not a shred of sincerity."

Lieyang's ten elite camps? Once he finished his training, he would certainly enter one of Divine Might Army's elite camps too.

A Third-Rank Earl's fief? That was indeed quite good — the standard fief for a Third-Rank Earl was at minimum one county, though usually a lower- or middle-grade county.

An upper-grade county like Gu County, which possessed a spirit mountain, would barely be enough for a First-Rank Earl. Mainly because the existence of spirit mountains and spirit lakes brought endless benefits, and they were generally never granted as fiefs to earls.

A standard Third-Rank Earl's fief was already quite rare during Emperor Jing's reign.

Lieyang Army's Marquis Yangwu himself held no more than fifty counties as his fief.

Giving Zhao Xing a single county as fief was indeed no small stake. So why say Marquis Yangwu lacked sincerity?

Because that place was not within Marquis Yangwu's own fief.

Marquis Yangwu's fief was in Cuiyue Commandery of Qingling Prefecture — an inland, prosperous region where counties were basically all upper-grade. Of course, his fief only occupied a small portion of Cuiyue Commandery, roughly one-tenth.

If he had offered a county in Cuiyue Commandery as fief, that would truly have been a feast.

But what Marquis Yangwu mentioned was 'Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.'

What kind of place is Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture?

It's an exclave!

From Emperor Wen's reign through Emperor Jing's, the Great Zhou's southern border had been repeatedly pushed and pulled along the Canglan River.

Although the two Emperors did not wage many major battles, minor skirmishes on the eastern and southern fronts never ceased.

The main reason was that the river's source lay in the Southern Barbarian lands, and east of Pinghaizhou had originally been part of the Vast Sea, so a large army had to be stationed there to suppress the Sea Clan and the Barbarian tribes.

Anyone who had ever served as an Agricultural Official knew exactly what it meant for the source of a great river to be in Barbarian hands.

If they tampered with the Canglan River at its source, Agricultural Officials south of Pinghaizhou would be worked to the bone managing all manner of natural disasters.

So why not simply strike across?

Still because of historical reasons.

The Grand Ancestor pacified the nineteen provinces and pushed south of the Canglan River for ten thousand li, but ultimately withdrew north of the Canglan River, using it as the boundary and signing a ceasefire with the Barbarian kingdoms.

Because he needed to focus on dealing with the Sea Clan — the peril of the Vast Sea was greater than that of the Southern Barbarians.

What the founding Emperor could not accomplish, later Emperors found equally difficult.

Emperor Wen focused on recuperation and recovery, basically never waging major wars, and rarely even minor ones.

During Emperor Jing's reign, after Emperor Wen's recuperation and several hundred years of patience through the Cheng'an and Yong'an eras, Emperor Jing felt the nation's strength had grown and its fortune was rising day by day, so he began making moves in Pinghaizhou, leading to constant minor skirmishes with the Southern Barbarian tribes.

This continued until the Dingxin era, when a piece of territory was finally conquered — namely 'Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture.'

But Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture had been developed for nearly two hundred years without ever stabilizing, because the Southern Barbarian tribes had resisted fiercely the whole time. If the territory Emperor Jing had developed could be developed, it would serve as a bridgehead for attack, continuously sending troops to threaten the Southern Barbarian tribes' heartland.

As a result, Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture had seen constant warfare for two hundred years. Its various commanderies changed hands again and again — one decade under Great Zhou, the next decade occupied by some Barbarian tribe.

Emperor Jing was indeed generous in granting fiefs within Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture, but damn it, it was a wasteland. Although it was large, what was the use if it couldn't be developed?

Of course Marquis Yangwu offering Zhao Xing such a piece of land struck Zhao Xing as lacking sincerity. Of course, from Marquis Yangwu's perspective, giving Zhao Xing a county already showed tremendous regard.

The interior of Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture was relatively stable, and the place was large. Granting a county as fief to a Ninth-Rank official (Zhao Xing had not yet been formally promoted; he had merely surpassed the Ninth-Rank realm.) — this kind of poaching treatment already exceeded 'market price.'

But Zhao Xing understood all this perfectly. Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture could absolutely never serve as a marquisate, and even as a fief it was barely passable.

Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture was also the main reason Emperor Jing was called stingy.

When ennobling marquises and granting lands, a small portion were always given these kinds of garbage territories — truly infuriating. Although it was still land, it was fundamentally unstable.

One had to constantly worry about the Southern Barbarians raiding one's home — how could one possibly enjoy it?

Emperor Jing also found it unsatisfactory. So after squeezing the noble houses nearly dry, he ended the Dingxin era name and adopted Jingxin, which was to brew a great campaign against the Barbarians.

He intended to accomplish what even his grandfather had failed to do — fully incorporate the Canglan River, that vital waterway, into Great Zhou's territory.

The early stages went smoothly, with abundant victories.

But operating deep in foreign lands stretched the supply lines, and setbacks began mounting.

Several elite legions were even destroyed.

Setbacks abroad, the noble houses making a comeback, and to top it off there were also such headaches as enfeoffed princes allying with sects and Southern Barbarian revolts.

Emperor Jing could only order the Pacify-the-Barbarians Army to retreat north of the Canglan River, to avoid having all their previous achievements ruined in this one battle, but in the end they still lost more than half of the Nine Heavens Response Palace.

It meant that two hundred years of Dingxin's efforts had preserved less than half of their results.

Although this did not prevent later generations from rating Emperor Jing highly, at the time it still left Emperor Jing deeply frustrated.

Thus the Jingxin calendar lasted only thirty-seven years before hurriedly ending.

The later reigns of Dazhi and Yongzhi were merely wishful thinking. During these two reigns, Emperor Jing never launched a single decent war, focusing instead on producing heirs and preparing to pass the throne.

There was no such thing as a Crown Prince waiting for hundreds of years.

Because the emperors of a Fortune Dynasty had a lifespan limit of one thousand years, and would only produce heirs and pass the throne at the very end of their lives.

The Imperial Princes born were not numerous, but focused on quality, and this matter was entirely controllable for the emperors of a Fortune Dynasty.

Generally speaking, an emperor would produce at most nine Imperial Princes in the later part of his life; as for Princesses and Commandery Princesses, there was no fixed number.

Just after Zhao Xing refused the envoy from the Blazing Sun Army, inside the Agricultural Bureau's Celestial Timing Academy.

A Captain accompanied a middle-aged scholar as he walked into the Seven Snow Pines Mountain Academy.

"What do you mean? You want me and Old Cheng to act as lobbyists for your Black Armor Army?" Ge Jinsong's cheek twitched. "Are you here to humiliate me?"

In Ge Jinsong's mind, he immediately reviewed Zhao Xing's performance from last year's March to this year's February.

March, the reporting trial, ranked twenty-ninth.

April, branch academy training, repeatedly ranked among the best... no need to mention this, in the end he entered the Geography Academy.

May, unable to train, revealed a talent for command.

June, supply training, ranked second, thoroughly convinced Xia Jing and the others.

July began selection training, the Nine Nodes Dojo, comprehended a Solar Term Token, broke through to the fourth revolution of the Knowing Realm, defeated Cheng Qingming's disciple Feng Qiu.

Liu Tianning's straw-man technique training class, after passing six trials, his straw-man technique dominated all, defeating a host of Taicang Academy geniuses, taking first place alone.

His subsequent growth became increasingly unstoppable.

August, September, October.

The Pinghuai Academy's flood control training—Zhao Xing's experience in water management was so seasoned that it actually surpassed some agricultural masters. Although Shi Yong, Zhuang Ziqing and others exceeded Zhao Xing in individual spells, this trial was not testing individual spells, but comprehensive assessment, the combination of theory and practice.

Zhao Xing, first place!

The Celestial Timing Academy's natural disaster course, hosted by Mei Zhiru, with Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming assisting—this was another comprehensive training. Forty-seven types of insect plagues, sky-fire meteors, and ley line eruptions, during which they also had to feed the martial artists, because this training had already begun to include 'enemy forces', simulating real combat.

Whether in specific management or overall perspective, Zhao Xing was impeccable, and he actually had two more Solar Term Tokens break through to the fourth revolution of the Knowing Realm. In the end, even Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming had to admit they had misjudged him. That time, Zhao Xing was first again!

The intensity of training kept increasing, many geniuses were groaning and complaining, some couldn't keep up with the pace, but Zhao Xing seemed to have no upper limit, still maintaining rapid growth!

This certainly had to do with Zhao Xing obtaining massive points in selection training, but his talent also refreshed Ge Jinsong's understanding time and again.

Right, selection training!

Thinking of this, Ge Jinsong couldn't help sighing inwardly once more.

The Ritual Cultivator's mental training, the Diminish-Intelligence Method, the Provocation Method—Zhao Xing swept first place several times, and when he didn't take first, he was still in the top three.

The Southern Barbarian tribes' witchcraft training mainly involved learning about the unique arts and equipment knowledge of the various Southern Barbarian tribes, most of which were theory classes, with a small portion being hands-on training. When fighting in foreign lands, one would inevitably use the enemy's weapons, yet in this completely unfamiliar system, he was still stronger than others.

Physician training, pharmacist trials, ghost identification, spirit-summoning training classes... even the Engineer family's equipment and divine weapon application training—this kid even took first place in piloting flying ships!

Is there any justice left? Is there any law?!

How many times have I already been whipped from beyond the grave? You two bastards still want me to act as your lobbyist, jumping on my face in person, is that it?

This old face of mine only just managed to hold out until he completed the last large-scale joint training, planning to pick it back up after he went to his actual post.

You want to grind me into the dirt again?!

"How can you humiliate me like this! Get out!" Ge Jinsong was filled with grief and indignation. Wasn't it just that I misjudged once? Does it warrant this?

"Brother Ge, please don't misunderstand!" The Ritual Cultivator saw Ge Jinsong so agitated and hurriedly cast a spell to soothe him. "We have come precisely to resolve Brother Ge's worries."

"If you miss this opportunity, Brother will regret it beyond measure!"

"Hmph!" Ge Jinsong was not swayed, coldly laughing: "A strategist's mouth, a lying ghost, you are always using such tricks. This old man won't listen, you may go back!"

The Ritual Cultivator cupped his hands and rose: "If Brother Ge doesn't want to know why Brother Cheng agreed, and insists on us leaving, then we shall leave. There are plenty of people in between."

Hmm? Cheng Qingming agreed? What face does he have to agree?

Ge Jinsong was stunned, seeing the Ritual Cultivator and the officer about to leave the door, he immediately shouted: "Wait!"

"You just said Cheng Qingming has already agreed to be the Black Armor Army's lobbyist?"

A smile appeared at the corner of the Ritual Cultivator's mouth, then he restrained it, turned around and sat down. This speed was so fast that even the general beside him couldn't react and still stood there foolishly: "Precisely so, Brother Ge, please hear me out."

"The world is ever-changing, reversal lies in but a single thought."

"This past year, you two were indeed greatly misunderstood."

"But if you two recommend him, promoting Zhao Xing from the Divine Might Army's weak brigade to our elite Black Armor Army."

"In the future, the more outstanding he becomes, the commendation documents of our Black Armor Army will surely bear both your names."

"Over time, who will remember the earlier branch academy matter? After all, it only occupied a very small portion of time. Even if remembered, it would be a fine tale. After all, it was the two of you who brought him into our Black Armor Army—that is true insight recognizing talent."

"The time ahead is what matters most!"

The Ritual Cultivator's words successfully persuaded Ge Jinsong. Indeed, what were those small matters from before? If Zhao Xing entered the Black Armor Army through his recommendation.

And later was publicized by the Black Armor Army, wouldn't the embarrassing matter currently considered become a 'small bump' on the road of insight recognizing talent? It might well become a fine tale!

"Fine, this old man will give it a try." Ge Jinsong nodded.

Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming had not yet reached the Eighteen Pagoda Trees and Willows Academy.

More people arrived at the Yangcheng Agricultural Bureau, preparing to act as lobbyists.

The Divine Might Army's garrison in Yangcheng.

Nine Nodes Captain Huang Chengzhi was squatting on the ground, burning paper offerings to a row of divine statues.

What he burned were letters, addressed to West Er Commandery.

"Report! Commander! Urgent report!"

A soldier suddenly burst in from outside.

"Speak quickly!" Huang Chengzhi said. "How is it?"

"Another three groups of people have headed toward the Eighteen Locust-and-Willow Courtyard! Among them is a Commandant of the Tiger Flood Dragon Army!"

"What?" Huang Chengzhi rose anxiously. "Dammit, even the Tiger Flood Dragon Army has come to snatch people? Go down and keep watch! The moment you have news, report at once!"

"Yes, sir!"

Afterward, Huang Chengzhi crouched down again to burn paper offerings for the deity statue.

"Dammit, stop burning!" The Shenxingdai Sect statue suddenly opened its eyes. "You've already burned four urgent-march talismans today!"

"The letter has already reached Xi'er Commandery — stop burning them for this god!"

Having said that, the statue closed its eyes, and the row of candles before the statues below all went out at once, and even the letter paper was spat out.

Huang Chengzhi cupped his hands toward the statue in a bow, a look of joy on his face, and muttered to himself: "It's already arrived? Then that's good, that's really good."

"Old Chen, Long Xiao, you've got to hurry and come. The caliber of the envoys keeps getting higher, the pressure keeps getting bigger — I can't hold out alone."

This chapter is basically a recap; there's no need to write those training sessions in too much detail, because the half-year internship afterward will show them, embodied in real combat — I think that's more fitting.

There will definitely be a second and third update today; as for the exact time, this author writes over ten thousand characters a day, so it's impossible to be precise down to a specific time of posting. I can only say I'm typing away very hard.