Chapter 840

Inside the main hall of the Lecture Hall, one hundred and three dark red badges were arranged in a neat square formation in the firelight.

The fire basins on both sides burned bright red, the heat waves from the charcoal roasting every inch of air in the hall until it was scorching. The dark-colored flag embroidered with crossed swords and wheat hung from the central beam, swaying gently, pushed by the heat.

Chen Yan sat upright in the main chair, the hem of his dark python-patterned cloak hanging onto the blue brick floor, the dark gold patterns flickering uncertainly in the leaping firelight.

His gaze slowly swept across the one hundred and three young faces below the hall, then turned to Lu Ming, Gu Yuci, Ye Zhuxi, Gao Jiong, and Zhang Wenqian, who stood on both sides.

The entire main hall was so quiet that every crisp sound of charcoal cracking in the fire basins could be heard.

Chen Yan's palm pressed onto the armrest, his five fingers slowly closing.

"The first plenary meeting of the One Heart Society now begins."

When these eight words were uttered from his mouth, the spines of the hundred-plus people in the hall straightened by another three degrees in the same instant.

Chen Yan's finger pointed toward Chu Ci, who was standing to the side.

"Chu Ci, read the charter."

Chu Ci walked from his position to the center of the hall, holding a booklet with a leather cover, on which four large characters were written in cinnabar.

One Heart Society Charter.

He opened the first page, his voice steady, every word articulated with extreme clarity.

"Article One of the One Heart Society Charter: The One Heart Society is the core leadership organization of the entire Xia Prefecture army. All major decisions of the army, including promotions, transfers, and battle plans, must undergo review and approval by the One Heart Society branch at the same level."

He flipped to the second page.

"Article Two: The military commander is responsible for combat command; the Political Commissar is responsible for ideological education and the soldiers' welfare. Both are of equal rank, independent of each other, and supervise each other."

Third page.

"Article Three: All members of the One Heart Society are responsible only to the Pillar of State, and are not subject to interference from any local officials or external forces."

Fourth page.

"Article Four: The selection criteria for One Heart Society members are three: impoverished background, literacy, and an identification with the Pillar of State and the people that comes from the marrow of their bones."

Chu Ci closed the charter and retreated to his position on the side.

The hall was silent for three breaths.

Chen Yan's gaze turned to Lu Ming.

"Lu Ming."

Lu Ming's massive frame stepped out from the ranks, the sound of his armor plates colliding exceptionally clear in the silence. He walked to the center of the hall and knelt heavily on one knee on the blue bricks.

"This subordinate is here."

Chen Yan's voice was flat, but carried a weight that lowered the temperature of the entire main hall by two degrees.

"You are the Marshal Governor, holding the most elite heavy infantry in Xia Prefecture. This Duke asks you one question."

Lu Ming's spine was taut as a straight line.

"Please ask, Pillar of State."

"You have heard the One Heart Society charter clearly. From now on, personnel promotions in your battalion must pass through One Heart Society review. Do you feel even the slightest bit unhappy about this?"

A trace of grievance flashed across Lu Ming's large face, but that grievance was suppressed within half a breath by something much more intense.

His voice raised, as thick as a beating drum.

"Pillar of State, this subordinate will speak from the heart!"

He punched his breastplate, the sound echoing twice in the main hall.

"This subordinate only knows two things: killing and training soldiers. If you ask me to manage whose mother is sick or whose child is crying, my head hurts so much it could explode!"

He struck his other fist against his breastplate.

"If the Political Commissar comes to help me manage these messy affairs, I couldn't ask for anything better. As for personnel review, Pillar of State, you can rest assured—the soldiers under my command are all given by you. Whether to promote or demote someone is your word; why would it need to pass through me?"

The corners of Chen Yan's mouth twitched.

"You just asked me if I acknowledge my mistake."

Lu Ming stood up and retreated into the ranks, his large face flushed red.

Chen Yan's gaze turned to Gu Yuci.

"Gu Yuci."

Gu Yuci stepped forward, knelt on one knee, his voice steady but carrying the frankness unique to a military general.

"This subordinate understands clearly: the One Heart Society does not manage the general's command authority; it manages the fact that a general can no longer treat soldiers as their own private property."

His hand tightened on his knee.

"This subordinate has led soldiers for nine years, relying on real skill with blade and spear, not on eating empty rations or drinking soldiers' blood. The rules of the One Heart Society only benefit me; there is no harm."

He knocked his head against the blue bricks.

"This subordinate, Gu Yuci, swears to obey all resolutions of the One Heart Society. If I violate them, I am willing to accept military punishment!"

Chen Yan nodded.

"Rise."

With the two most core military generals in the army taking the lead, the eyes of the Political Commissar candidates below the hall burned even hotter after this scene.

Chen Yan stood up from his chair.

The sound of his boot soles on the blue bricks walked step by step toward the military sand table in the center of the hall, the hem of his cloak dragging a long arc behind him.

He stood still before the sand table and picked up a wooden stick.

The tip of the wooden stick fell heavily on the position representing Tongwan City of Xia Prefecture on the sand table.

"Xia Prefecture is just a seed."

The tip of the wooden stick moved away from Tongwan City and pointed sequentially to the seven positions on the sand table representing Lingzhou, Suizhou, Yinzhou, Yanzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and Yuanzhou. With every point, the wooden stick poked a deep pit into the sand table.

"This Duke wants to let this seed bloom fully across the seven prefectures."

He turned around, facing everyone in the hall, the wooden stick turning half a circle in his hand.

"From today on, this Duke officially launches the Spark Plan."

Li Gen's body leaned forward two inches, the light in his eyes bright enough to overflow.

Chen Yan's wooden stick traced an arc in the air, circling all seven positions on the sand table.

"The Political Commissar system and One Heart Society structure of Xia Prefecture must be fully spread to the other six prefectures in the shortest possible time. Every prefecture must establish a Lecture Hall, every battalion must have a Political Commissar, and every army must grow its own backbone."

He slammed the wooden stick heavily against the edge of the sand table.

"This Duke wants the entire Northwest army to understand three things."

He held up three fingers.

"First, whose fields their guns are protecting."

The first finger curled down.

"Second, who their true enemy is."

The second finger curled down.

"Third, who gave them the right to eat while standing."

The third finger curled down.

"Loyal, brave, strict, and clear, unwavering until death!"

One hundred and three voices exploded in unison the moment his last sentence landed. The wave of sound surged out from the main hall, rushed past the Lecture Hall's courtyard walls, and charged into the night sky above Tongwan City, illuminated by starlight.

Chen Yan threw the wooden stick beside the sand table and walked with long strides back to the main seat to sit down.

His palm pressed onto the armrest, his voice dropping.

"Meeting adjourned."

One hundred and three Political Commissars filed out, their footsteps disappearing in unison into the night outside the main hall.

Lu Ming, Gu Yuci, Ye Zhuxi, and Gao Jiong also withdrew one after another.

Only two people remained in the main hall.

Chen Yan and Zhang Wenqian.

The charcoal in the fire basin had burned into dark red ashes, the heat waves weaker than before, but the air in the hall felt heavier than before.

Chen Yan picked up the teapot from the desk and personally poured a cup of tea for Zhang Wenqian.

The sound of tea falling into the porcelain cup was exceptionally clear in the empty main hall.

Zhang Wenqian watched Chen Yan's action of pouring tea personally, his fingers tightening slightly as they clasped in front of him.

He had followed Chen Yan for so many years, from Mirror Keeper of the Mingjing Si to Deputy Minister of Xia Prefecture; he knew this young man's style of doing things too well.

The number of times Chen Yan had poured tea personally could be counted on one hand.

Each time meant that the words to follow would be as heavy as Mount Tai.

Chen Yan pushed the teacup in front of Zhang Wenqian.

"Old Zhang, sit."

Zhang Wenqian sat down on the low stool before the desk, holding the teacup with both hands, the heat of the tea steaming his brow bone; he did not drink.

Chen Yan leaned back into his chair, his finger slowly tracing an arc on the armrest.

"This Duke is taking people to Lingzhou tomorrow."

Zhang Wenqian's voice dropped by half a degree.

"This subordinate knows."

Chen Yan's gaze fell on his face, the things in those eyes exceptionally heavy under the dark red reflection of the ashes.

"Xia Prefecture is the base camp, the foundation. After this Duke leaves, this home will depend entirely on you."

Zhang Wenqian's Adam's apple bobbed.

Chen Yan's palm lifted from the armrest and pointed toward Tongwan City, shrouded in night outside the hall.

"Military affairs, personnel, logistics, taxation—these four pillars, this Duke hands them all to you, not one less."

His finger withdrew from the direction of the city and pointed at the desk.

"Chu Ci is responsible for the daily operations of the One Heart Society in Xia Prefecture, but Chu Ci's seniority is not enough to hold the field; you back him up."

Zhang Wenqian's fingers tightened slightly on the teacup.

"Pillar of State, this subordinate knows his own weight; I can carry military affairs and logistics, but if something major happens in the army..."

Chen Yan interrupted him.

"For major matters, find Ye Zhuxi. She is the Governor of Xia Prefecture, she has soldiers in her hands, and her brain is sufficient. You work as a team with her, one civil and one military; Xia Prefecture will not collapse."

Zhang Wenqian's lips moved twice, and finally, he placed the teacup on his knees, bent over, and pressed his forehead against the blue bricks.

"Pillar of State, this subordinate has followed you for four years, from the dark lines to Deputy Minister; you have given this subordinate trust I never dared to dream of in this life."

His voice was muffled by three degrees as it pressed against the blue bricks, but every word was articulated clearly.

"As long as this subordinate is here, Xia Prefecture is here; if this subordinate dies, Xia Prefecture will not lose even an inch of land!"

Chen Yan bent over and helped him up from the ground.

"Old Zhang, don't kneel at every turn; have you forgotten what this Duke said?"

Zhang Wenqian wiped the corner of his eye, raised the teacup to his lips, and drank it in one gulp.

Chen Yan stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the window lattice.

The night wind poured in from the direction of the city, carrying the last trace of chill from late autumn, blowing up the stray hairs at his temples.

Just as he was about to turn back to the desk to get the silk scroll of the Spark Plan, a sound of extremely urgent footsteps suddenly rang out outside the main hall.

The sound of armor plates colliding came from the end of the corridor, the speed so fast that Zhang Wenqian's hand tightened on the teacup.

Gao Jiong's figure flashed in from the side of the door frame; when he crossed the threshold, the iron plates on his armor skirt scraped against the door frame, emitting a harsh metallic friction sound.

He held a silk scroll sealed with fire wax in his hands; the color of the wax was dark red, the color used only for the highest-level urgent secret reports of the Mingjing Si.

"Pillar of State! Eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from Lingzhou!"

Gao Jiong handed the secret report to the desk with both hands, his voice pressed to the limit, every word squeezed out from between his teeth.

Chen Yan took the secret report, his finger flicking open the fire wax seal, and unfolded the silk scroll under the lamplight.

His gaze swept three lines of text on the silk surface, his finger pausing for a breath at the fourth line.

Zhang Wenqian noticed that the fingers Chen Yan used to hold the edge of the silk scroll tightened by two degrees, the bones of his knuckles turning slightly white.

Chen Yan scanned the silk scroll from beginning to end, his palm slowly closing, crushing the silk surface into a ball in his palm.

His voice turned cold, cold to the degree that the last bit of residual warmth in the main hall was drained away.

"The Helan Clan."

Gao Jiong's teeth clenched.

"The dark agent in Lingzhou reports: the Helan Clan ostensibly handed over six hundred qing of land to the Prince, but secretly used the names of collateral branches of the clan to re-register three thousand qing of fertile land. Over the past half month, they have hoarded eight thousand shi of grain on the black market and have also won over three battalions of old commandants through the clan's marriage ties in the army. The dark agent suspects they are plotting a mutiny."

Chen Yan threw the ball of crushed silk in his palm onto the desk; the fragments scattered, a few pieces landing beside the teacup.

He turned around, the hem of his cloak sweeping across the edge of the desk as he turned.

"A Ze is still too benevolent."

His voice carried something that made both Zhang Wenqian and Gao Jiong feel a chill shiver down their spines.

"How can there be no blood in dragon-slaying?"

He walked with long strides toward the entrance of the main hall, the sound of his boot soles on the blue bricks heavier with every step.

"Gao Jiong, order the entire army!"

Gao Jiong punched his breastplate.

"Pillar of State, please give the order!"

Chen Yan paused at the threshold and looked back, his eyes burning with two fires that made one dare not look directly at them, under the dark red reflection of the final ashes.

"Assemble five hundred Beiwei Death Guards, fifty Political Commissar candidates, Hongye, and Ye Zhuxi to accompany me. One person, two horses. Depart the city before dawn and set out for Lingzhou at full speed!"

His finger tapped heavily on the door frame.

"This Duke is going to teach the great clans of Lingzhou what true rules are!"