Chapter 275: Top Ten Martial Rankings, Enthroned as Marquis of Ten Thousand Households

In the small courtyard of the Li residence.

"Big brother, the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War are absurdly slow—why hasn't the military enlistment paperwork arrived yet?"

Ning Zhongtian sat lazily on a stone bench in the courtyard, one leg propped up on a nearby willow tree.

Li Rui glanced over:

"What's the rush?"

Military officers are different from civil officials; promotion in rank means immediate advancement, at most just a matter of speed.

Of course.

With General Xue and Jiang Linxian supporting him, there's no way anything could go wrong—it's a guaranteed success.

"Little brother, you don't understand—this is the most comfortable time."

When it comes to promotion.

Only when you're about to be promoted but haven't yet is it truly comfortable; once you actually take up the post, headaches won't stop.

Right now,

Li Rui is the most unique figure in the Anning Guard—in short, like some second son, he takes orders but not summonses.

Cao Wei can't command him; the only ones who can are not in Qinghe.

Truly carefree.

Of course, this kind of time won't last long.

"Stealing half a day of idle leisure."

Ning Zhongtian sneered.

'Big brother used to be a stable hand, now he's a warrior—why's he talking like some scholar?'

At noon, the sun blazed directly overhead.

Scorching sunlight filtered through the leaves; he squinted slightly, quietly sensing the tide-like surge within his dantian.

Just entered Observing the Sea, yet already nearing the sound of waves.

One step away, Li Rui could enter the second stage.

This pace is terrifying.

Stuck at a realm?

Impossible—Li Rui only needs to worry about advancing too quickly.

Perhaps this is the burden of a genius.

Once entering Hearing the Waves, the next step is Rising the Moon; for ordinary warriors this might be hard, but for Li Rui now, it's nothing—Xu the Daoist's Huangting Qi, combined with his Foundation Establishment power, has already cleared a smooth path ahead.

He only needs to walk forward without worry.

Just a matter of time.

Li Rui rested his arms behind his head and leaned back comfortably.

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

"Coming!"

Before Wang Zhao could open it, Ning Zhongtian leapt up and sprinted to the door.

He opened it.

Stunned.

"Master Han?"

Standing outside was Han Zhen, General Xue's private secretary.

He had once stayed in Yunzhou—he knew this chief advisor to the general, though holding no official rank, no one in Annan Town dared provoke him.

It was said General Xue consulted Han Zhen on every matter and trusted him most.

Now he had come to Qinghe.

Li Rui had heard not a whisper—he arrived without warning.

Outside, Han Zhen smiled faintly: "Little Ning, long time no see—is Master Li available?"

Ning Zhongtian nodded: "Yes, yes."

As he turned, he saw Li Rui already standing behind him.

"Master Han."

Li Rui bowed to Han Zhen.

Han Zhen's arrival surprised him too.

"Master Li."

Han Zhen chuckled, stepping inside as he spoke: "General Xue sent me—I have some matters to convey."

Li Rui didn't rush into business; instead, he led Han Zhen into the reception hall.

After they sat down,

he finally spoke: "Master Han, what matter requires you to travel all the way to Qinghe?"

Han Zhen chuckled: "I came to Qinghe to inspect the city defenses—this was arranged by General Xue; I'm merely the messenger."

Li Rui hadn't expected this old advisor to be so courteous.

Han Zhen: "Master Li, you're eighty this year?"

Li Rui nodded: "Eighty-two."

"I'm seventy-four—I should call you Elder Brother," and he immediately changed his tone: "Elder Brother Li."

Li Rui blinked, accepting it with ease: "Younger Brother Han."

He couldn't fathom why Han Zhen had come to Qinghe.

Why this deferential tone?

Han Zhen sipped his tea, then spoke slowly: "Elder Brother Li, I've come at General Xue's request regarding your military enlistment."

Li Rui's brow lifted slightly.

Another complication?

'Am I really cursed?'

Last time, when he was promoted to Trade Company Commander, Qi Ze interfered—now who's this prince or noble scion?

If every promotion brings trouble, he'd have to consider changing careers.

Bad official fortune—forcing it only invites disaster.

Han Zhen shook his head with a smile: "Master Li, don't overthink—it's good news."

"Good news?"

This sparked interest in both Li Rui and Ning Zhongtian.

"General Xue has always kept your enlistment in mind—no issues there. But there's another matter."

Han Zhen smiled:

"Master Li, you may not know—the national martial rankings have been preliminarily settled."

At this, Li Rui's brow lifted slightly:

"So soon?"

Jiang Linxian had only just headed north a month ago, yet the national martial rankings were already preliminarily determined.

According to past precedent,

once the martial rankings were preliminarily settled, the Emperor's approval alone would finalize them.

At most, the announcement would follow within a month.

Han Zhen must have gotten wind of it.

Han Zhen continued: "Our Governor Yuan made the top ten—the Emperor was delighted and intends to grant him the title of Marquis, with his fiefdom in Yunzhou."

Li Rui's eyes narrowed slightly.

The words were few, but the implications immense.

Top ten martial ranking—granted a marquisate!

In today's Yu Kingdom, this was an extraordinary event.

Because in Yu, all marquises—except the few hereditary ones—were dead; not a single living marquis remained, let alone a duke—there weren't even any dead ones.

For example, Zhuang Renhe received only a viscountcy after his death.

And even hereditary succession was uncertain.

The Emperor's heart is hard to fathom.

Why?

Because the Emperor fears these marquises growing too powerful and becoming uncontrollable.

The previous dynasty's rebellion of the feudal lords was written into history multiple times—the Emperor, even as a prince, must have been lectured endlessly by Confucian scholars on the subject.

Once emperor, he certainly wouldn't let the same mistakes happen again.

Not only would it threaten his throne, it might even bring down the kingdom.

So for Governor Yuan to be granted a marquisate is an immense honor.

Especially with an actual fiefdom—a true marquis of ten thousand households.

A man's life should be like this! Han Zhen's eyes held awe—being granted a ten-thousand-household fiefdom was what countless men dreamed of; in all of Yu, only one man had land: the Duke of Wei, and even he received it only by special decree from the founding Emperor, after which no one else did.

Even the mighty and politically dominant Marquis of Dingyuan was forced to remain quietly in the capital.

Governor Yuan is the only one in the entire Yu Kingdom.

Han Zhen continued: "From now on, Annan Town will be under the governance of Viceroy Yuan. This is a great blessing for us."

A regional lord!

To sustain one man with an entire province—what an air of grandeur.

Li Rui suddenly understood why Viceroy Yuan had come to Yunzhou—he must have heard the rumors long ago.

Everything had been traceable all along.

The northwest war was easing; the position of Viceroy was temporary—no one could hold it for life.

Viceroy Yuan had served fifty years—long enough.

If he stayed any longer, someone would surely grow discontent.

Moreover, the crisis in Qinghe had alerted the imperial court to the unrest in Wu Country, which could at any moment spill over into Yu Country, necessitating a strong hand to hold the south.

Please... Your Excellency... collect_(!)

Appointing Viceroy Yuan as Lord of Yunzhou would demonstrate the Emperor's boundless grace while entrusting him to guard the empire's southern frontier—a win-win.

Yunzhou is tens of thousands of li from the imperial heartland; even a military march would take a full month.

Even if he were granted a marquisate and turned rebellious, the court would still have ample time to respond.

"Brilliant strategy!"

As Li Rui pondered, Han Zhen spoke: "Now that Viceroy Yuan has been enfeoffed as a marquis and established his marquisate, his household staff must be drawn from his fief. Director Xue hopes you, Lord Li, prepare thoroughly and do not miss this opportunity."

"Household staff" was a euphemism—Han Zhen meant the marquis's retainers!

Li Rui's heart stirred slightly.

Power was never measured by official rank, but by proximity to the center of power.

If the imperial palace was the core of Yu Country's power—the closer to it, the greater the power—then in Yunzhou, the Marquis Yuan's mansion was the absolute center.

To become a retainer of Marquis Yuan meant at least a status far exceeding that of a fifth-rank official.

As the saying goes: even a seventh-rank official stands tall at the chancellor's gate.

Take this very man, Master Han—he held no official rank, yet his voice carried more weight in Annan Town than Assistant Regional Commanders like Cao Wei.

Han Zhen chuckled: "Director Xue sees potential in you, Brother Li, which is why he holds this hope. Do not disappoint him, Lord Li."

Li Rui beamed and bowed: "Thank you, Director Xue, and thank you, Brother Han, for your guidance."

Promotion like this—

Without someone to point the way, you couldn't take a single step; you couldn't even find the door, let alone walk the path.

Xue Gui wanted Li Rui to seize this chance and climb higher in his post as Assistant Military Advisor.

In Yu Country, marquises no longer held the same power as in previous dynasties—they were essentially just granted a fief.

That meant the tax revenue of one province supported Marquis Yuan alone; the provincial government and military garrisons remained unchanged, to prevent any detachment from imperial control.

Naturally, as the nominal lord of Yunzhou, Marquis Yuan wielded immense advisory power.

Any official below third rank, if recommended by Marquis Yuan, would be appointed—neither the Emperor nor the Ministry of Personnel would object.

Thus, if you could cling to Marquis Yuan's leg, promotion would be a single word away.

With Marquis Yuan's influence, even recommending someone for an official post in the capital was not impossible.

A golden opportunity!

Xue Gui revealing this news to Li Rui meant he regarded Li Rui as one of his own.

Becoming a retainer did not prevent one from holding office; both could be held simultaneously—after all, Yunzhou was Viceroy Yuan's fief, and he alone set the rules.

Moreover, Li Rui himself had proven worthy.

The marquis's retainers would be few—no more than the fingers of one hand.

So becoming one was no easy feat.

If Li Rui entered the marquis's household, Xue Gui would have placed his own man at Viceroy Yuan's side—benefits obvious. Li Rui gained fortune, Xue Gui gained advantage—a win-win.

But the prerequisite was that this person must catch Xue Gui's eye.

If Xue Gui didn't notice him, Marquis Yuan almost certainly wouldn't either—and going there would be a waste.

He now understood why Han Zhen had treated him with such courtesy.

In plain terms—it was potential.

If Li Rui truly became a retainer of the marquis, his status would surpass Han Zhen's—so of course Han Zhen must be courteous.

Otherwise, acting haughty now would mean paying back every penny with interest when others climbed above him.

As Viceroy's chief advisor, Han Zhen would never do anything so foolish.

Leave a little room in human dealings—future encounters will be easier.

This was a universally accepted principle in Yu Country's bureaucracy.

Han Zhen: "I've delivered Director Xue's message. I'll not overstay."

Watching Han Zhen rise,

Li Rui urged: "Brother Han, it's still early. I've ordered a banquet set up at Zui Xian Pavilion—let's share a few cups."

Han Zhen smiled and waved his hand:

"Brother Li, there'll be many chances ahead. When we reach Yunzhou City, I'll treat you to wine."

"Then I won't keep you, Brother Han."

Li Rui did not press further.

Persuasion required discernment: with Lei Yong, he'd have insisted repeatedly; but with Han Zhen, he'd stop at the right moment—otherwise, it would invite annoyance, and the cost would outweigh the gain.

Li Rui personally saw Han Zhen off at Anning Garrison, then returned home.

"Big Brother, this is a tremendous opportunity!"

Ning Zhongtian, seeing Li Rui return, his eyes gleamed.

Marquis's retainer.

That was no small thing.

It meant forging a connection with Marquis Yuan—his future would soar. Besides, he'd heard: Xue Gui would surely speak on his behalf—highly likely.

Li Rui smiled faintly: "Fourth Brother, you heard too. Prepare yourself—it's a good chance."

Though tempted, he would not lose his composure.

He would carry on as usual.

Hadn't Han Zhen said it was still internal news? Even when officially announced, it would take months, perhaps half a year.

There was no rush.

Ning Zhongtian nodded: "Exactly."

Even if he couldn't become a retainer, it was still a prime chance to impress—if he performed well and caught Viceroy Yuan's eye, perhaps even becoming his disciple? That would be even better.

He felt even more grateful for his sworn brotherhood with Li Rui.

Without it, how could he have learned of this news in advance?

With preparation, his chances of success would rise greatly.

Ning Zhongtian suppressed his excitement, lost all interest in sunbathing with Li Rui, and slipped away, running home.

Li Rui smiled and shook his head.

Young men, once they see a path forward, burn with passion.

"Xiao Zhao, dinner."

Deep night.

Li Rui sat cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed, mind still.

He turned his gaze inward.

Since his Foundation Establishment, his inner Xianxuan Qi had transformed drastically—its quality was terrifyingly high, nearly identical to the divine Qi he'd once obtained!

The Xianxuan Qi flowed through his body, causing subtle changes wherever it passed; the combination of Changchun Technique and the Nine Heavens Dragon Chart generated terrifying vitality.

Li Rui was now circulating the Xianxuan Qi to inspect his body.

'No issues.'

After several circuits, his mind stirred slightly.

In the next instant,

The tranquil sea of Qi within him suddenly rippled, then churned like a tide, surging from his dantian toward his limbs and meridians, then returning to the dantian.

Again and again, endlessly cycling.

Li Rui had anticipated these changes—he closed his eyes, serene, calm, as if drifting through clouds, utterly at peace.

Soon,

A strange sight appeared.

The room, sealed on all sides, seemed touched by a gentle breeze—his sleeves billowed, his hair and beard fluttered, as if riding the wind through empty space.

The sea of Qi grew fiercer, waves crashing, faintly echoing the sound of tides.

Li Rui opened his eyes—a flash of brilliance passed through them.

"I wish to hear the waves."

(End of Chapter)