Chapter 35: Demon-Extermination Thousand-Household Office

When the Province of Chosen was newly established, the Eastern Depot, deeming that place remote and bitterly cold, dumped the arduous task onto the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard thus drew a boundary with the Eastern Depot: the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the original Great Ming were called the "Inner Provinces," falling under the Eastern Depot's jurisdiction.

All newly expanded territories henceforth were collectively termed the "Outer Provinces," falling under the Embroidered Uniform Guard's jurisdiction.

Suppressed by the Eastern Depot for centuries, the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to seize this opportunity to leap out of the cage.

The Eastern Depot did not take it seriously at the time, but they did not expect that over two hundred years, the Great Ming continuously expanded its borders... Even before the establishment of the Southern Jiaozhi Province, the Eastern Depot had actually already regretted it.

The common people called the "Demon-Extermination Thousand-Household Office" the Demon-Extermination Army.

Its strength constantly grew; no longer satisfied with "pacifying the region after war," it directly threw itself into the fray, expanding the Great Ming's borders, and its fame had long overshadowed that of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

When conquering Southern Jiaozhi, the Demon-Extermination Army was the vanguard; it is said they had forty thousand combat troops, organized into the "Demon-Extermination Camp."

When Xu Yuan's second uncle was in his teens, he joined the Demon-Extermination Army; often, news would only return once every three or five years.

When Xu Yuan's father died, he entrusted someone to send news to the Demon-Extermination Army; presumably, his second uncle never received it, for in any case, he did not return even until the burial.

Over these few decades, Southern Jiaozhi has been completely assimilated; it is heard that the vanguard of the Demon-Extermination Army has advanced to Zhenla, fought several battles with the Red-Haired Barbarians, and the war reports submitted to the court were all "Great Victories," but it is said the situation was not so optimistic.

Uncle Rong Kui arrived at the inn even later than Xu Yuan, obviously coming specifically for Xu Yuan.

Moreover, he never revealed his identity, only watching him from the shadows!

Could it be that his second uncle committed a crime? Did it lead to the punishment of his family?

Feeling the small knife at his neck about to cut into the flesh, Uncle Rong Kui screamed in terror: "Listen to me, listen to me, it is not what you think. It is your second uncle, your second uncle achieved great merit and was promoted. He was promoted to Commander of the Regional Guard, a proper official position!"

Xu Yuan was even more confused: "He was promoted, yet you still dare to spy on me?"

Uncle Rong Kui wore a mournful face: "It was your second uncle who ordered me to do this..."

Xu Yuan had always suspected that his father and second uncle were estranged brothers; otherwise, how could his second uncle have been away for decades without ever returning to visit?

"Your second uncle achieved great merit; not only was he promoted, but he is also highly valued by a noble patron. The patron intends to cultivate him. Unfortunately, your second uncle only has us old brothers who have risked life and limb around him, with no one else available, so he sent me back to secretly observe what kind of person you are..."

Uncle Rong Kui's lips moved with incredible speed, finally explaining the matter roughly. Then he cautiously looked at Xu Yuan, thinking to himself: Boss Xu, your nephew is not ordinary at all!

"My badge is in my chest; I will take it out for you to see, and there is also a letter in your second uncle's own handwriting."

Xu Yuan loosened the small knife. Uncle Rong Kui let out a long breath, cursing inwardly that he almost peed his pants from fright; no wonder this kid could handle that whole line of people from the Pingtian Society.

Uncle Rong Kui took out the badge and the letter.

Xu Yuan only glanced at the badge roughly; after all, he could not distinguish true from false. The key was the letter in his second uncle's own handwriting.

Previously, his second uncle occasionally sent letters home, so Xu Yuan recognized the handwriting.

In the letter, his second uncle said that Zheng Rongkui was a brother who had shared life and death with him, and told Xu Yuan to follow all his arrangements, and so on.

Xu Yuan frowned: "Why didn't he mention my father's death?"

Uncle Rong Kui sighed: "When I left, I had not yet received news of your father's death."

Then he looked at the sky: "Don't stand on the street. It is getting dark; let's go to my lodging first."

"Where are you lodged?"

"At Widow Yang's house."

Xu Yuan turned and left immediately: "Come to my place."

Xu Yuan unceremoniously occupied the Zhao Family Fur Shop.

After Uncle Rong Kui entered, Xu Yuan led him straight to the back kitchen; many pieces of game meat hung from the beams, all cured.

Not many hunters had the ability to enter Ghost Wushan, so the wild beasts in the mountains were raised fat and strong; the ground beneath the beams was covered with traces of dripping grease.

Xu Yuan pointed at the cured meat and the rice jar: "Cook; eat your fill first."

Xu Yuan had not eaten all day and was already starving.

Uncle Rong Kui rubbed his nose; fine, anyway, he was doing a cook's job at the Yifangting Inn.

Uncle Rong Kui did not know why, but although he was not outwardly convinced, he showed off his skills, using limited ingredients to prepare a small banquet: six dishes and one soup, with the rice steamed fragrant.

He also found a bottle of good wine in Zhao Yong's room.

Xu Yuan pointed at the table: "You taste a bit of everything."

Uncle Rong Kui widened his eyes: "I am your elder after all... Fine, I will taste."

Xu Yuan put the small knife back into his sleeve.

After Uncle Rong Kui had eaten everything, Xu Yuan waited for the time it takes to burn one incense stick, found no problems, and only then took Uncle Rong Kui's chopsticks, washed them, and used them himself.

"You..." Uncle Rong Kui was speechless; this kid was too cautious. Who taught him this?

Xu Yuan devoured the food like a whirlwind clearing debris until he was full; Uncle Rong Kui's skills were indeed impeccable, comparable in this aspect to his stepmother.

Uncle Rong Kui ate slowly and leisurely, also drinking wine.

After Xu Yuan had eaten his fill, he put down his chopsticks and stared straight at him.

Uncle Rong Kui was in the midst of his drinking: "Don't rush; wait until I finish drinking, then I will tell you carefully... You really have no spirit, flashing a knife every time you move, just like that donkey-born second uncle of yours!"

Uncle Rong Kui put down his wine cup; not daring to curse Xu Yuan who was holding a knife, he cursed the old brother who was now his new superior, thousands of li away.

Xu Yuan felt relieved instead; according to what was said in the letter, Uncle Rong Kui and his second uncle had shared life and death in the Demon-Extermination Army for over ten years... That must be the way it was.

Uncle Rong Kui explained his second uncle's arrangements in detail.

"... It was not that I wanted to secretly spy on you; sigh, it cannot even be called spying on you, but secretly observing you. Your second uncle said that if you are not suitable, do not mention this matter to you."

The Demon-Extermination Army is too dangerous; if you do not have the ability, do not cause his elder brother to have no heir."

Xu Yuan asked coldly: "When I was in danger, why did you not help?"

Uncle Rong Kui widened his eyes: "How did I not help? When you wanted to run, did I not deliberately give you the chance?"

Xu Yuan thought for a moment; that morning, Uncle Rong Kui had driven him out to fetch water, which was indeed deliberately giving him a chance.

"What about afterwards?"

"Afterwards... It was not that I did not want to help, but that I could not help. You all rushed into Ghost Wushan in a lump; I am an outsider; did I dare to go in?"

Xu Yuan could barely understand.

Uncle Rong Kui's strength has already been tested just now; at most, he is merely eighth-tier.

Facing the Pingtian Association head-on would surely mean death; there would be no escape even if one tried to run.

Letting him enter Ghost Wushan to help deal with the Pingtian Association... he lacks both the ability and the courage.

Moreover, Xu Yuan also understood that he was merely a nephew; if he were a biological son, Uncle Rong Kui might have gritted his teeth and risked his life once.

"My second uncle..." Xu Yuan glanced at Uncle Rong Kui: "Why did he send such a useless person back?"

Uncle Rong Kui's fat face flushed red; his lips moved several times as if to defend himself, but in the end, he deflated: "Forget it. You were able to kill Old Man Qiao and the people of the Pingtian Association; you indeed have ability. I cannot compare to you."

Xu Yuan did not deny it; he tapped the table: "Continue eating. I'm going up to sleep. Tomorrow, we return to Huicheng."

Begging for monthly votes again.

Data during the new book period is very important. Dear readers, please support us.





(End of this chapter)