Chapter 824: Surrender

Inside the schoolhouse.

Aaron looked at the dozens of young boys and girls he had taken in, and he could not help but feel quite satisfied.

These are the seeds of the future!

He immediately said: "Listen well, by entering my Taoism of the Supreme, you are now Science Apprentices... Starting today, you will study literary lessons for two hours every day, first learning the Thousand Character Classic, then Arithmetic and Natural Sciences... followed by two hours of martial arts lessons to temper your bones and muscles!"

For this, he even specially brought out pinyin to annotate the characters commonly used in this world.

Well, as a man of science, one simply cannot be illiterate.

But it only goes this far; after the Thousand Character Classic and the Ten Thousand Character Book... they will absolutely not read any more Confucian Classics, but will instead be taught various miscellaneous studies, such as arithmetic and the like, correcting them from the root to prevent them from growing crooked.

The young boys and girls below nodded in a daze; in any case, in their view, they had already been 'sold' to the Taoist temple, and even if the Taoist priest wanted to beat them to death, it would be permissible.

"Brother!"

The Daoist felt joy welling up in his heart.

'Anyway, I have Spirituality... I can afford to wait!'

Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold held a grand banquet to entertain the Imperial Envoy and his party.

Just then, a dragon's roar was heard, and a cyan-purple aura descended from the imperial decree, carrying a majesty that held the power of life and death.

He hurriedly got up to fetch a Bronze Mirror, but when Wei Zun looked into it, his eyes went black; he saw that his own head in the mirror was bald, having turned into a green gourd, and he could not help but feel like crying without tears: "This... what has happened? Who is on guard outside?"

To become a True Dragon, one must have the right time, the right place, and the right people—none can be missing!

An Imperial Envoy's procession, flying a bright yellow Dragon Flag, passed through layers of dangerous terrain and finally entered the stronghold.

In his view, although Great Song had just lost an Emperor and a young master had succeeded to the throne, with Tong Jing removed from the court, the government was now filled with upright officials, and the state affairs would surely improve; the new Emperor would also, under the guidance of the various Gu Ming Ministers, become a sage ruler of his generation, fulfilling the highest pursuit of scholars: to establish merit, virtue, and words!

With a touch of longing, the weary Wei Zun finished the last official document, put down his brush, returned to his bedroom, and went to sleep under the service of his concubine.

After all, this world is quite easy to get by in.

No matter how strict the magistrate is, the clerks dare to hollow out his authority, and even cause trouble for the magistrate to take the blame!

Especially in recent years, as the Imperial Court's exorbitant taxes and levies have increased, various apportionments must be collected with the help of the local clerks, causing the magistrate's voice to become even weaker.

Wei Zun gritted his teeth in anger and pulled out another official document.

A cat that cannot catch mice, what use is it besides being a plaything?

Burning with rage, he prepared to go outside to see who was on night watch.

Looking at Wu Xing's expression, he gave a bitter smile: "The matter Brother Wu Xing mentioned... I have thought about it too, but although the Imperial Court has a young master on the throne, the national strength remains formidable... The four hundred thousand Imperial Guard are not a joke. Although Jiangbei is in chaos, Jiangnan is still peaceful; how could we have a chance? If we were to leave behind any loose ends, could the high officials in the Imperial Court really not see it? By then, we would be caught in the middle, and it would be better to keep things clean!"

Song Gongbao's face was ruddy as he led his brothers to bow together in the Justice Hall, saying: "We welcome the Angel!"

The black flood dragon struggled, and although unwilling, it still reluctantly accepted the aura.

'This is a demotion from the status of a master to that of a subject... a great loss of popular support!'

As for Spirituality?

Before Communication Between Worlds and securing the final victory, Aaron did not intend to pass it on to anyone else.

'I am not doing this for myself, but for the peace of this region... otherwise, if a local official is assassinated, the damage to the dignity of the Imperial Court would be too great!'

The County Office.

But I do not know when it started, the Big Brother lost his spirit, and only thought about Imperial Decree and surrender!

Now, he is satisfied with being a fifth-rank General of Miscellaneous Titles, and even wants to take all his elites to wipe out the rebels for the Imperial Court!

"Sigh... it is fate, it is time!"

The Daoist looked at the somewhat indignant crowd behind Song Gongbao and suddenly realized.

"For this expedition against Tian Ruhu, Military Advisor, remember well: we must send out all our elites and fight beautifully to show our sincerity!"

'But to build an unprecedentedly vast system and then harvest Qi Points... I cannot do it this way. It takes ten years to grow trees and a hundred years to cultivate people; the path is under my feet!'

Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold is easy to defend and hard to attack—this is the advantage of the terrain!

Song Gongbao is humble and cautious, his name for chivalry is widespread, and he can gather talent—this is the advantage of the people!

No matter how fierce the dragon crossing the river is, it cannot overcome the local snake.

That demon Daoist could enter his bedroom at night and shave his head without alerting anyone; even Nie Yinniang from ancient storybooks might not be able to compare!

This is what it means to be granted an Imperial Decree!

Strangely enough, after receiving this aura, the pitch-black flood dragon immediately collapsed, no longer forming a system, and countless stars scattered.

At the same time, his heart turned cold.

Song Gongbao shuddered: "You cannot say that!"

"I have caused such a big scene today, even acting in the name of Xulingzi of the Taoism of the Supreme... the county should have received the news by now, even if they are slow, right?"

Wei Zun gritted his teeth; he had always paid attention to this aspect, and the guards he hired were all top-notch experts.

Wei Zun was instantly angered to the point of death!

"Good, if you do your work diligently, I will naturally reward you heavily!"

Carrying a waist saber and looking fierce, Zhao Hu said loudly: "Reporting to the Magistrate... since you went to sleep, no one has been here!"

"In my county, there are only a few hundred soldiers, and I may not be able to take them down. If I want to be absolutely sure, I must first appear slow to deceive the enemy and numb their hearts, then secretly report to the Prefect, requesting an order to mobilize the main army to surround them and carry out a strike of Thunder!"

That night.

He saw that above the kneeling Song Gongbao's head, the original aura of military malice had gathered, faintly forming a black flood dragon, with dozens of starlike points of light within it, resembling Meridians and acupoints, vivid and lifelike, confronting the Qi Number of the Imperial Court.

This Great Leader... has lost his spirit!

When the Daoist saw that monk, he vaguely saw a flash of cyan light responding to the starlight above, and his heart trembled, knowing this was Song Gongbao's Dragon Qi making its final resistance, but it was useless!

'How could you break the layout of a Grandmaster? If there were a Daoist from the Purple Void Temple here, it would be hard to say, but now it is a foregone conclusion.'

Tian Ruhu, a giant bandit of the north, has also risen to rebel recently, with great momentum, capturing cities and seizing land one after another, which the Imperial Court cannot control.

"Yes, General." Wu Xing was startled, his heart turning cold, but he still said: "I clearly advised the Stronghold Master before that even if we accept the Imperial Decree, we must never leave Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold... This place is easy to defend and hard to attack, a gift from Heaven to us. With the Imperial Decree, we can openly buy food and weapons, recruit men... and become a self-governing power. We can advance to high official positions and wealth, and retreat to have a place of our own. Even when the right time comes, it is not impossible to..."

With a technological advantage, it is natural to lock it down tightly; to spread it rashly and cause technology diffusion would be foolish.

Song Gongbao changed into a military official's uniform, had just drunk a few cups with the Imperial Envoy, and presented a generous gift.

But his concubine immediately stopped him: "My lord, the Official Body is of utmost importance; you must maintain your dignity!"

Wei Zun was in his thirties, exactly the prime of a man's life.

"Your subject Song Gongbao... accepts the decree and offers thanks!"

But seeing the official uniform on his body, he smiled again: "Mother... your son has finally brought honor to our ancestors!"

This document was densely packed with the crimes and abilities of the evil Daoist Xulingzi, and several descriptions within it were truly hair-raising.

In the end, he still accepted the amnesty.

Although the Emperor was dead, the Great Song still looked very powerful, and the four hundred thousand Imperial Guard remained intact.

If not for seeing this, why would the Purple Void Temple invest so much capital?

"Now it has all become a bargain for the Great Song and my Chongming Dao!"

"Stronghold Leader!"

Song Gongbao answered loudly, kowtowed heavily, and then crawled forward on his knees to receive the imperial decree, his eyes brimming with hot tears: "We truly wish to serve the Imperial Court with one heart... now that our wish is fulfilled, we will surely destroy Tian Ruhu to share the Emperor's worries!"

Yet, after serving as a county magistrate for a few years, he realized how difficult everything in the county was.

In his early years, when he came to the county to serve as a Hundred-Mile Marquis, he also had the idea of doing some real work for the Imperial Court and the common people.

County Magistrate Wei Zun was reviewing official documents when he suddenly slammed his brush onto the table: "The Daoist name of Xulingzi has already been made public, yet the Village Head in the village has still not reported it; his heart is punishable, he truly deserves to die!"

He was somewhat surprised, then immediately touched his own head, feeling only a smooth surface, and was greatly shocked: "Where is my hair?"

"Hmm, this pattern has already stabilized; this person no longer has any hope of becoming a dragon!"

The Imperial Envoy continued to read: "... His crimes are hard to forgive, yet his circumstances are pitiable. I now specially dispatch an Imperial Envoy to grant full amnesty for the crimes committed by Song Gongbao and all personnel, large and small... and appoint Song Gongbao as Tiger Might General, to appoint his own subordinate officials, and bestow a Gold Medal, brocade, imperial wine, and silver... I command you all to immediately lead your troops to attack the rebel Tian Ruhu... Thus it is decreed!"

At this moment, they heard the Imperial Envoy take out the imperial decree and read it aloud:

Among the Imperial Envoy's entourage, there was also a Daoist who looked at this scene and sighed inwardly: 'How many great heroes and men of great ambition... galloped for a time, but in the end, they were all deluded by the Qi Number and lost the timing of Heaven! This Song Gongbao's previous actions could be considered those of a flood dragon, but in the end, he still fell into the trap of my Chongming Dao!'

Looking at these seeds, Aaron could not help but sigh in his heart.

As long as he waits another two years, once the timing of Heaven arrives, the probability of even achieving the status of a True Dragon and opening a new dynasty is very high!

Song Gongbao revealed his signature gentle smile, as if he had not seen any of this: "Set up the incense table! Invite the Imperial Envoy to read the imperial decree!"

If one were to rashly spread the Dao of Spirituality, not to mention the problem of the source of Spirituality, it would be ridiculous to create enemies for oneself.

And when he respectfully listened to the imperial decree, the faint sound of a Young Dragon could be heard.

Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold.

Beside him, his concubine also shrieked: "My lord, your... your hair... is gone!"

Wu Xing could not help but nod along, and looking at the smug leader, he suddenly understood everything like a flash of lightning.

Behind Song Gongbao, a wandering monk looked indignant and wanted to stand up, but was held down firmly by several of Song Gongbao's confidants.

Song Gongbao believed that resistance would never lead to a good end; being a loyal minister of the Imperial Court and having his wife and children honored would not be a life lived in vain.

It is generally a fifth-rank official, and there were also lower fifth-rank ones in the previous dynasty.

He was a member of the Chongming Dao and had obtained the recognition of the Imperial Court; at this moment, under the imperial decree, he could still use his spiritual eyes.

Upon hearing this, the Daoist's expression turned solemn, and he quietly tore open a Talisman in his sleeve.

Wei Zun thought of the history books he had read about Daoists and monks causing chaos in the country, and a sense of Righteous Qi could not help but arise in his heart: "For us scholars, the time to restore order is now!"

"The Emperor decrees: Since I ascended the throne, I have used benevolence and righteousness to govern the world, and rewarded and punished impartially to settle conflicts... Song Gongbao, Li Zhibao, and others of Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold have always cherished loyalty and righteousness, and have not practiced tyranny. Their hearts have long been inclined toward submission, and their ambition to serve is resolute..."

But looking at it now... they are all useless despite their appearance.

The clerks of the Six Departments in the county inherited their positions from father to son, having long ago formed a convention; their foundations were deeply hidden, and they had frequent dealings with the great families and powerful clans in the county, forming a dense web.

County Magistrate's study.

Wei Zun woke up from his sleep feeling refreshed, but his scalp felt cold.

Just at this moment, a scholar waving a Feather Fan walked out, carrying a hint of alcohol on his body; he was the stronghold's chief strategist—Wu Xing!

"The strategist is here!" Song Gongbao laughed: "Are you also here to blow in the wind and sober up? But don't call me Stronghold Leader anymore; you should address me as General."

Even though he had the Imperial Decree and was one with the Great Song, observing the Dragon Qi with Daoist Technique still resulted in a Backlash!

Tiger Might General sounds imposing, but in reality, it is just a General of Miscellaneous Titles.

At this moment, walking out of the Great Hall of Justice and looking at the scenery of Xiaohuang Mountain Stronghold, he did not know why, but he felt a sense of reluctance in his heart.

The Daoist continued to observe the Qi, but saw that as Song Gongbao accepted the decree, a layer of black-red Qi suddenly shrouded him, condensing into a dragon-wolf upon the framework of the blue-purple Qi!

This dragon-wolf was entirely black-red and carried a few dragon scales, but upon closer inspection, it also looked like a dog.

This was the Dragon Qi that Song Gongbao possessed, assisted by dozens of stars, representing that he had many capable people under his command; he was truly fully fledged, and his foundation was already established!

"This wandering monk also has a destiny pattern... This Song Gongbao is capable of gathering people; among his subordinates, there is no lack of world-class talents... He is truly a flood dragon!"

Thinking back to when everyone rebelled together, the other party was heroic and daring, and that spirit of being willing to sacrifice everything to pull the Emperor off his horse was the most captivating.

Aaron looked toward the county and thought indifferently: "It is also time... to give the county magistrate some color to look at."

Scholars emphasize that the body, hair, and skin are received from one's parents, so hair is very important.

This is a direct warning!

If he offends again, it is hard to say if he won't just take away his Six Yang Leader!

'That official document has not yet been sent out...'

Half an hour later, wearing a wig woven by his concubine's skillful hands, Wei Zun walked out of the bedroom and saw two yamen runners outside the courtyard, looking like they were performing their duties faithfully, and could not help but feel angry: "Zhao Hu... who came to this official's room last night?"

The next day.

The Daoist felt comforted in his heart, but then felt a sharp pain in his eyes; he reached out to wipe them and discovered some red, so he hurriedly tucked his hand into his sleeve.

"With my current strength and divine abilities... if I were to engage in Contending for the Dragon, three years would suffice..."

Wei Zun was startled, then immediately realized that if outsiders found out his hair had been cut while he was asleep, his reputation would be ruined!

Once a reputation is ruined and dignity is lost, it becomes difficult to serve as an official.

"But for a criminal of the Imperial Court to have roamed free under my jurisdiction for several months, and for me to only realize it after such a great commotion was made, they truly deserve to die!"

"How about... slowing down for now?"

Once this thought emerged, his heart settled, and he looked at the people behind Song Gongbao with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

A gust of cold wind blew in, and watching the brothers acting dissolutely in the Justice-Gathering Hall, Wu Xing shivered coldly.

A thought could not help but surface in his mind: "Could it be... that the Great Song truly possesses the Heavenly Mandate?"

(End of this chapter)