Chapter 203: White Marsh's Prophecy

After Zhu Ti arrived, Da Wang simply said a few words about the two newly drawn top-grade rewards.

With the copper mine, the slaves need to keep buying; this time we really want as much as we have. Finally, he took the newly written handwritten letter and gave it to her.

"Give this to Zhang Tu to handle; have him produce results in three days! You must submit a list of monetary compensation to me within three days, and as soon as you get it, hand it over to me. Then these five districts must be vacated within three days; we need to finish building the houses before the significant cooling. This time we recruited eight thousand laborers… let's prioritize Secluded Prefecture City, so that those nearby who didn't get a turn don't suffer psychological imbalance, and if we're still short, we can keep recruiting from outer counties that didn't get a turn." Da Wang arranged everything in an orderly manner; Bai Ze listened from the side and nodded—this guy is fairly reliable.

Being conscripted by Da Wang once, one could save enough to keep a household fed for a year or even more; Da Wang largely owed his wealth to infrastructure construction.

Da Wang's trip to the Prosperous Prefecture was also drawing to a close; he was a bit reluctant to leave the days spent with his family nearby. He couldn't bear to part with the Wei family, nor could he bear to leave Wei Shen, who had accompanied him for over a year.

But no matter how hard it is to let go, the day of parting has arrived.

When Wei Yi came back to see him, she expressed her reverence to Da Wang. According to her, Zhou Huang has already withdrawn from the academy he had wholeheartedly enrolled in, determined to go to Secluded Prefecture to study. He is still causing a fuss at home, currently at the stage of fasting; all the academies in the Prosperous Prefecture know of the might of the Northern Border Academy.

After all, Zhou Huang had been intelligent since childhood, called a prodigy, and by age twelve he was already studying together with the adult Zhou Jing; in the Prosperous Prefecture he was quite famous.

Da Wang was extremely pleased, saying, "That shows he has good taste; our Northern Border Academy's instructors are all big shots! Unfortunately, brother-in-law can't go… Cousin sister, go back and tell the Zhou family, if they want to agree, do it quickly—I, the king, can even give him a ride along the way; otherwise, this journey north won't be peaceful."

Wei Yi: "…It's precisely because it's not peaceful that I won't let him go. Otherwise, going far wouldn't be a problem—Fourth Brother also went out traveling and studying with Zhou Jing and the others, leaving for three or five months."

Da Wang clapped his hands: "That's settled! Is it just him? Let him organize things—I can take everyone along, ensuring safety! If you don't believe me, ask my elder cousin—my personal guards in the Southwest Army have no rivals."

Wei Yi was a bit surprised, looking at her brother; Wei Ke actually nodded.

"If Zhou Huang really wants to go, following His Highness together is the safest." After all, this guy has come out unscathed from the hands of the five hundred death warriors until now.

The day before Da Wang was set to depart, Zhou Huang ran over to tell him he wanted to go with him to study at the Northern Border Academy!

Da Wang sized him up with a glance: "You said you were fasting at home—why aren't you thin?"

Zhou Huang blushed: "…I wasn't really fasting, just shouting slogans. My grandfather went to see Marquis Wei Ting, and upon returning he agreed to let me go to the Northern Border Academy! The academy has places to stay, right?"

Thinking of his academy that leads all of Great Jin, Da Wang wanted to sigh—it's so good, so large, yet lacks popularity.

"Not only does it have lodging—our academy's construction is magnificent and elegant, on a grand scale. You'll see for yourself; anyway, compared to the Hidden Abyss Academy in Everlasting Peace, it's… putting it nicely, like a modest beauty."

Zhou Huang remained skeptical; he didn't really believe it. If you talk about reputation and learning, the Hidden Abyss Academy definitely can't compare to the Celebrating Sun Academy, and the Hidden Abyss Academy at the emperor's feet couldn't even match the construction of Secluded Prefecture?

"Are you going by yourself?" Da Wang asked hopefully.

"... There's also a bookboy and a few attendants—what about them?"

Da Wang sighed: "You couldn't find a few classmates to go with you?"

Zhou Huang exclaimed excitedly: "Of course I'll go first to scout the route! If it's really that good, I'll write to them! I truly hope we can gather at the Northern Border Academy!"

Da Wang: …Alright, I don't mind if it's just one.

That evening, the Wei family had a reunion dinner with Da Wang; Wei Yi and Zhou Jing were also present.

Da Wang smiled on the surface but felt sorrow inside; he was very reluctant to part with Wei Shen and everyone in the Wei family.

The uncle suggested letting Wei Shen see him off, but Da Wang refused.

Da Wang is actually quite thoughtful; Wei Yi has married out, and Wei Shen has been away for over a year. This time, going with him again, the outside world is chaotic—who knows when they'll be able to return? The aunt will surely miss him.

After the banquet dispersed, Da Wang took Marquis Wei Ting's hand and escorted him back to the main residence.

"Maternal grandfather, I'll get up early tomorrow to say goodbye; don't get up too early to go to the military camp, okay?"

Marquis Wei Ting also felt uneasy inside; he was over fifty, and he feared this might be his only chance in life to see Da Wang.

"Mm, grandfather will see you off tomorrow."

Da Wang left, and Marquis Wei Ting couldn't sleep either; he sat at the table thinking. After a while, the doors of his room suddenly swung open on their own, both flinging wide!

"Who is it?"

He was just about to get up to look when he saw Da Wang's huge fluffy creature, slowly walking in.

Moonlight shone on it, reflecting a silvery glow, making the creature look even more extraordinary.

Marquis Wei Ting's heart raced; he felt that something major was about to happen.

As soon as White Marsh entered the room, the two doors automatically shut again!

Marquis Wei Ting looked at the door, then at the creature—indeed, it was no ordinary pet!

"You! You… what exactly are you?!"

White Marsh lowered its head to look at him: "I am White Marsh. Marquis Wei Ting, the world is in great turmoil, a chaotic age is approaching. The beacon fires of the northwest will rise; do not let the Southwest Army be completely lost to the northwest. What you must do is to survive well, preserve the main force of the Southwest Army, and assist the King of You in mutual watchfulness; that is your great righteousness. Some things, whether you participate or not, the outcome is already decided."

That voice was completely different from when it spoke to Da Wang, as if it came from ancient times; each character sank deep into Marquis Wei Ting's mind.

Its speech was very slow, with a unique rhythm; after finishing the last sentence, it seemed to carry an unfinished sigh.

As the words fell, the room's door opened again; Marquis Wei Ting hadn't even reacted when White Marsh silently stepped into the moonlight, just as it had come.

Marquis Wei Ting jumped up: "You! You! You are truly a divine beast!"—said with certainty. He finally recalled Da Wang's perilous remark, that he said his White Marsh was a divine beast.

White Marsh didn't look back, stepped into the moonlight, and in the blink of an eye vanished into the courtyard, leaving no trace.