Chapter 159: Coming straight out swinging — the first-ring military duty is this intense?

The sky was overcast, the river seemed to have turned black, the waves churning violently. The Hall of March swayed with the tower ship on the river's surface; the plaque of the side hall, bearing the three characters "Inspection Bureau," was reflected upside-down on the water. Inside the hall, the Left and Right Judicial Officers stood holding their tokens — the left bearing Execution, the right bearing Arrest.

Behind Zhao Xing's back was inserted an Arrest token; the token arrow radiated a black-gold light, locking down all primordial energy.

No light could pierce this gloomy great hall; candle flames flickered on both sides. A massive figure sat in the main seat, his aura as imposing as a prison. Half his body was shrouded in shadow, revealing only half his face — and on that half-face grew withered grass. His eyes were open, showing pure black pupils, and from his eyelashes sprouted several blades of green grass.

"You are Zhao Xing, Second-Class Transport Commissioner of the Lanjiang Transport Bureau?"

"It is I, sir. May I ask why my lord has arrested me?"

"As Transport Commissioner of the Lanjiang Transport Bureau, you embezzled seven hundred forty-nine thousand shi of fifth-grade supplies. Additionally, you forcibly declared three tower ships, seventy percent new, as scrapped, and sold them at a low price to Yi Zhijie of the Leiyang Merchant Guild, taking a kickback in the process. Do you confess?"

"I confess, and am willing to hand over the illicit funds and pay the fine…"

"Since you confess, you shall be executed immediately!"

"What?! I am a fifth-rank official — how can you execute me without inquiry? Lord Liu, your actions violate Article 362, Clause 7 of the Great Zhou Code…"

"Puchi~"

Before Zhao Xing could finish his defense, he saw his own body kneeling on the ground — already missing its head.

What rotten luck. After all that effort, with the help of my brothers in the guild, I'd finally risen up — only to be cut down by this bastard… That was the last thought that flashed through Zhao Xing's mind before everything went black.

"Zhao Xing, Zhao Xing, wake up! It's time to depart!"

A familiar voice sounded by his ear, and then Zhao Xing felt his face become wet.

He opened his eyes and saw it was the Mountain Cat licking his cheek.

Zhao Xing sat up from the bed, his gaze somewhat dazed.

A great dream spanning a thousand autumns — what year is this tonight?

"Still not slept enough? You've been sleeping since the Hour of the Rabbit the day before yesterday — that's twenty-seven hours now. Are you alright?" Long Xiao, seeing Zhao Xing awake, came curiously to the bedside.

"I'm fine." Zhao Xing's gaze instantly cleared. Right — I am now Zhao Xing of the Divine Might Army, about to leave the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven and head for the Nine Heavens Primordial Prefecture south of the Canglan River to carry out the military duties arranged by the Soldier Realm.

"I heard that during training you only slept one hour each day, without a break for an entire year. Now it seems that's true." Chen Shijie stared at Zhao Xing and said, "You were overly exhausted. Now that your mind has relaxed, you slept for twenty-seven hours. So, did you sleep well?"

"Very well." Zhao Xing nodded, reached out with a beckoning motion, and clouds gathered in his palm, automatically forming a cloud basin.

Splash~ Water appeared, and a towel was blown over by the wind. Then, right in front of Chen Shijie and Long Xiao, he began washing up.

Chen Shijie, seeing this scene, could not help but flash a hint of admiration in his eyes.

The connoisseur sees the craft — from the details of cloud control alone, one could tell that Zhao Xing's spellwork had truly entered the hall and reached mastery.

"Meow~" The Mountain Cat came over to drink from the water in the basin.

"Aotian, why are you drinking that?" Long Xiao hurriedly pulled the Mountain Cat away. "It's not clean."

"Meow-wu!"

The Mountain Cat broke free from Long Xiao's hand and went back over.

No, I want to drink it!

Zhao Xing smiled and pushed the Mountain Cat's head aside, then separated out another cloud, filled it with water, and gestured for it to drink from that.

The Mountain Cat immediately obediently turned its head over.

Long Xiao felt a bit deflated.

Raised it for a whole year, and still it doesn't obey me as well as it does you, its cheap master. Sigh.

After finishing washing up, Zhao Xing, Long Xiao, and Old Chen went to the side hall to eat.

"No one else to see, right?" Chen Shijie asked.

"No one." Zhao Xing shook his head. The day before yesterday he had gone to the Myriad Laws Palace and seen the last person.

He hadn't expected that while sleeping, he would dream of so many scenes from his past life, including the moment Liu Tianning executed him. It seemed he should visit the Myriad Laws Palace less often in the future.

"Since there's no one else, let's finish eating and depart." Chen Shijie said, "There's no need to do much with the Eighteen Locust-Willow Courtyard — you'll be coming back to it anyway."

"Alright." Zhao Xing indeed had nothing to pack.

After eating and stepping outside, a Spearfish Flying Boat sat parked on the lawn.

However, the three people and one cat did not hurry to board, but were waiting for something.

"Da-da-da~"

【42】 Riding a bamboo horse, Gao Ming galloped in from the horizon and landed outside the courtyard gate.

Gao Ming rode in on a bamboo horse, galloping from the horizon, and landed just outside the courtyard gate.

"He's here." Zhao Xing stepped forward to greet him. "Brother Gao Ming."

"Zhao Xing." Gao Ming dismounted and handed over a box. "This is the mission item issued to you by the Yangcheng Military Department."

"Many thanks, Brother Gao, for the escort." Zhao Xing took it — just a small box containing a new secret seal, an Earth Mirror, and the relevant credentials needed to carry out the military duties.

"I wish you a bright future and rapid advancement." Gao Ming cupped his hands in salute.

"Thank you. I also wish Brother Gao prosperous business." Zhao Xing returned the courtesy.

"Hahaha, I'm off." Gao Ming flipped back onto his bamboo horse and clip-clopped away.

Datong Prefecture, Wanfeng Mountain Range.

The lake surface, calm as a mirror, suddenly rippled with circles of waves. The ripples grew denser and denser until, at a certain moment, the central area suddenly arched upward.

"Splash~"

A ram's nose pierced through the crest of the waves, and the sharp bow and scale-covered hull of the ship emerged.

"Whoosh~"

Like a spearfish leaping from the water, the flying boat rapidly tilted upward and climbed to a hundred meters in the air, its hull returning to a horizontal position.

A military banner fluttered, embroidered with ten suns.

"Zhao Xing, once we leave the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven, you should be able to see the first mission issued to you by the Soldier Realm. If the location doesn't pass through Xi'er Commandery, I won't travel with you." Chen Shijie said.

He still had to return to Xi'er Commandery — the Divine Might Army was currently mainly gathering there.

Along the entire Canglan River line, there were military towns stationed. The Nine Heavens Primordial Prefecture, that bridgehead, was like a needle thrust across the Canglan River. But the Great Zhou's border line south of Pinghaizhou was very long, and a formal war had not yet begun. Therefore, aside from the standing garrison forces at the Nine Heavens Primordial Prefecture, most of the troops were north of the Canglan River awaiting orders.

Zhao Xing opened the box Gao Ming had delivered, took out the new Earth Mirror to check, and saw that the first-ring mission had indeed already been issued.

However, after seeing the first ring mission, Zhao Xing's expression shifted slightly.

"What's wrong?" Chen Shijie asked.

"The first ring mission, the location is in Xi'er Commandery."

"Isn't that perfect? Old Chen can head back with us along the way." Long Xiao said carelessly, until he noticed that both Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie looked off, and then it clicked. "Your first ring mission wouldn't have something to do with the Divine Might Army, would it?"

Zhao Xing said nothing.

Chen Shijie's expression grew uglier: "That serious?"

Serious enough that both of them had to recuse themselves and couldn't know the mission contents?

Zhao Xing gave a slight nod.

Long Xiao's mouth fell open too: "You—your first mission wouldn't be an inspection mission, would it?"

"Stop asking." Chen Shijie said in a low voice, "Hand over your Earth Mirror."

"Oh, oh, alright." Long Xiao pulled his Earth Mirror from his chest.

Then Chen Shijie took his own out as well and handed both to Zhao Xing.

The attitude was very clear—the meaning being, we support you, do what needs to be done.

Zhao Xing thought for a moment and said: "Just hold onto it, I trust you."

"It's not a matter of trust." Chen Shijie's tone was firm, "The Soldier Realm's evaluation of you begins the moment you leave the Grotto-Heaven. The gods are watching three feet above your head; every single move you make will be seen. Hold onto it. Return it to us when we reach the Xi'er Commandery Inspection Office."

"Alright." Zhao Xing put away Chen Shijie's and Long Xiao's Earth Mirrors.

The Arrowfish flying vessel cut through the sky. Chen Shijie steered the vessel outside, Long Xiao went into the cabin, and Zhao Xing took the Mountain Cat into another room.

Because Zhao Xing's first location was Xi'er Commandery, and it was an inspection mission, the atmosphere grew somewhat heavy.

So the three of them did not communicate again along the way.

After flying for most of the day.

At a certain moment, Zhao Xing suddenly looked outside the cabin.

The water-element force between heaven and earth had grown dense.

"We're almost at the destination." Zhao Xing sat up straight. Xi'er Commandery bordered the river, so the water-element force was several times denser than outside the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven.

Observing the heavens, sensing the earth's favor, the water veins within the ley lines had also grown vigorous.

Pulling out his own Earth Mirror, Zhao Xing reviewed the mission once more.

【First Ring Military Duty: Inspect the Divine Might Army】

【Location: Xi'er Commandery】

【Soldier Realm Intelligence: Xi'er Commandery is a vital border town, but peace has lasted too long and management has been lax. Numerous illegal acts have already taken root within: smuggling, illegal border crossing, embezzlement, rape, murder, forceful seizure, abduction, and assault—a total of 1,423 offenders.】

【Below is the specific list, along with each person's crimes. You must pass judgment and punish those on the list.】

【The mission can be submitted through the Earth Mirror upon completion.】

Zhao Xing opened the list and reviewed it once more.

【Hong Tai: Current Changshui Captain of the Divine Might Army, rank 7b. Formerly served five years as the Land Register Magistrate of Tao County in Xi'er Commandery. Returned after the Divine Might Army's reorganization. Crimes: rape of fourteen persons, driving five to death. After the Boping Marquis was reinstated and reassigned, to cover his crimes, he killed all the family members of the fourteen victims.】

【Qi Shan: Current Zhonglei Captain of the Divine Might Army, rank 7a. Formerly served three years as the Pinghuai Magistrate of Fubu County in Xi'er Commandery. Privately set up checkpoints, accepted bribes totaling 3.42 million taels from merchant guilds from other regions.】

【Fan Geng: Current Nine-Section Commander of the Divine Might Army, rank 8a. Formerly served as the Assistant Agricultural Official of the Grand Granaries in Heyuan Commandery. Abused his power for personal gain, occupying Sanshan, two lakes, and manor lands totaling 14,800 mu.】

【He Cheng: Current Nine-Section Commander of the Divine Might Army, rank 8b…】

【Chang Sihai…】

……

The list was very long. After Zhao Xing skimmed through it quickly, he closed his eyes and thought.

The Boping Marquis lost his position as commander of the Divine Might Army five years ago.

He had also returned to his fief.

During those five years, the Divine Might Army existed in name only.

Without a commander, most of the soldiers were dispersed to serve as officials in various places. Old Chen coming to Gucheng in Nanyang Commandery for five years was precisely for this reason.

One year ago, which was when Zhao Xing came for training, the Boping Marquis Yang An was reinstated to his original post and once again appointed as commander of the Divine Might Army. This was a rank-4 martial general. Regardless of Yang An's original strength, as long as he was the commander of the Divine Might Army, he would definitely be at the rank-4 realm.

If the Great Miao Campaign began, he would likely temporarily possess the combat power of a rank-4a. This was the characteristic of the destiny dynasty system.

No matter what your own strength was, once you sat in that official position, your strength and official rank would certainly match.

With the Divine Might Army's reorganization, many of the soldiers who had originally been dispersed to serve as officials in various places returned to Xi'er Commandery.

Of course, there were also those unwilling, who no longer wished to fight, so reserves were needed to supplement the ranks, hence the selection and transfer.

Five years was enough for a brave and skilled warrior to rot.

After the reorganization, the Boping Marquis Yang An did nothing but reorganize military affairs in Xi'er Commandery, drilling again, letting these old core members recover their fighting spirit and combat power.

But Yang An was not a god. Even though during this year he screened out many people and conducted a self-inspection of the Divine Might Army, some still hid themselves well and concealed those illegal acts.

Take for example 'Hong Tai' at the top of the list. After the Divine Might Army's commander was removed from his post, he remained within Xi'er Commandery.

Because vital border towns followed a military-first system, with everything prioritizing military affairs, his authority remained very great.

Upon learning that the Boping Marquis Yang An had returned, he immediately dealt with his own illegal affairs and became the Changshui Captain (a type of Military Agricultural Official position).

"Investigating others is easy, investigating oneself is hard. Self-inspection is difficult to cleanse thoroughly." Zhao Xing thought, "He might even have considered old ties, and even if he knew, he let old subordinates off the hook, letting them atone for their crimes through service."

The Great Zhou's border army system granted great authority to the commanders of military towns, and the same went for the enfeoffed Wang Hou. The authority to handle crimes committed by a Wang Hou's Scholar Feng Chen was also given to each respective Wang Hou to decide.

If Yang An discovered illegal acts, as long as he was willing, and as long as it wasn't a heinous capital crime, he had the authority to let his subordinates off the hook.

Additionally, the various thousand-year great clans had all received death-exemption iron tallies during the Grand Ancestor's time, which was likewise a kind of privilege.

The Civil Emperor, during his reign, was tolerant toward the common people and tolerant toward officials as well; he did not take a knife to these systems. But the Jing Emperor was different.

He squeezed the great clans, leading by example in internal competition, and through various reasons recovered a large number of the clans' death-exemption iron tallies. This was the main direction of his reform over more than two hundred years of innovation.

During the Jingxin period, the reform targeted the border armies. As for the enfeoffed Wang Hou? That was the foundation of the state; he did not dare take such a large step.

"During the Jingxin period, the military greatly expanded its intake of reserves, and patrol-and-inspection missions like this one skyrocketed. If I want a high evaluation on a mission like this, I have to align with the imperial court's grand policy."

"The best approach is to cut them all down without mercy."

"Only by doing so do I meet Emperor Jing's expectations. The 'fresh blood' he wants to inject into the army is precisely this sort of person—someone bold enough to face the powerful head-on, impartial and selfless."

"If I do this, I'm sure to get a Grade-A evaluation."

Zhao Xing rubbed his brow, thought from the perspective of the mission's designer, and quickly arrived at the "best answer."

"But that is the best answer the imperial court is hoping for."

"If I really go that far, I'll inevitably draw the resentment of the Divine Might Army's officers and men, and might even displease Lord Boping. That's just human nature—when their own interests aren't touched, if you want to kill my brother, of course everyone will plead for him. Like feels for like."

"If I kill half and release half, the imperial court should give me a Grade B, showing I have the guts to act but didn't go far enough. But if that's the case, I might as well kill them all."

"If I reduce capital offenses to grave ones, and grave ones to light punishment, given my prior performance I should be able to get a Grade C—passing." Zhao Xing mulled it over.

He had never even considered the possibility of failing, because even if he did nothing—just reported the situation to Lord Boping, then submitted it and washed his hands of it—he'd still get a Grade C-lower. That was the solid foundation laid by the first half of the training.

The patrol-and-inspection mission didn't test the Military Agricultural Officer's personal ability, nor even his virtue, because under those three systems above, all of them allowed Zhao Xing to release the men.

This mission only tested his heart—to see whether this genius's heart was on the same path as the imperial court.

But if he got three Grade C-lowers in a row, no matter how brilliant a Grade A-plus genius he'd been before, once he reached the third-ring missions, that would be the end of the road.

At best he could become an eighth-rank Military Agricultural Officer.

"Right off the bat they want me to cut down Captains and Commanders—is the first-ring mission really this intense?" Zhao Xing muttered to himself, gazing out the window.

The Arrowfish flying boat began to slow and descend.

Xi'er Commandery—arrived.

Damn it, the weather's so fickle—yesterday I was in short sleeves and shorts, today I'm wrapped in a single robe and still freezing.

Probably caught some 'seasonal shift'—this afternoon I kept getting diarrhea and broke out in heat rash on my face. So damn annoying.

But there are still two updates today, time uncertain—usual rule, around midnight.