Chapter 390

"Just that?" Wu Tie stared in astonishment at the middle-aged man behind the desk.

The Examination Bureau Chief of the Military Department of the Great Jin Divine State, this scoundrel holds an extremely high position in the Great Jin Military Department, nearly comparable to a Deputy Palace Master like Sima De. To sit in this position, his background, cultivation, and connections are obviously extraordinary.

Although he knew that this retort was extremely disrespectful to the Examination Bureau Chief, Wu Tie still asked the question.

On the Three Kingdoms battlefield, after storming the fortress of the Blood Flag Contention, the various promises Wu Tie received were not like this.

Chief of the Examination Bureau

Vice Hall Master

Sima De

Three Kingdoms Battlefield

Blood Flag Contention War

"What more do you want?" The Examination Bureau Chief slowly rose to his feet, placed both hands on the long desk, like an old vulture before prey, his eyes fiercely locked onto Wu Tie.

"A mere military household origin, with just over twenty years of service, promoted from an ordinary third-rank soldier to a third-rank general by exception, even taking command of a prefecture's military forces… you bastard, that is the entire military authority of a prefecture!"

The Examination Bureau Chief slapped the desk with a "bang," saliva flying as he pointed at Wu Tie and roared loudly: "Is it not enough? Is it not enough? A person should be content… especially, this is the Military Department's Examination Bureau's fairest evaluation of your merits, you…"

The Examination Bureau Chief's slap on the desk produced a huge sound that immediately startled the guards outside the Examination Bureau Hall.

Dozens of heavily armored warriors, wearing beast-faced visors and wielding long halberds, entered silently through the gate in single file, their sixteen-foot halberds aimed at Wu Tie; the three-foot spearheads emitted a bright, eerie light that illuminated Wu Tie's entire body.

"You, dissatisfied with the military? You, questioning military orders? You… defying orders, planning to rebel?"

One Prefecture Military Authority

Giant Dragon Swallowing the Sun Great Painting Screen

Supreme Commander of the Right Battalion of the Front Division of the Divine Martial Army

Five or six people joining forces, unless Wu Tie uses the Water-Fire Gourd or the Water-Fire Divine Gun, or employs the Tower of Rebirth… otherwise, even if he unleashes all his physical strength and cultivation, he would struggle to resist their combined assault.

Divine Martial Army

"On the Three Kingdoms battlefield, in the Blood Flag Contention, the first to storm the Blood Flag Fortress and seize the city guard token was the Ninth Prince of the Heng King, Sima Yu." The Examination Bureau Chief quickly interrupted Wu Tie's words.

"Lord Sima Yu, serving as a campaign officer of the Right Battalion, C Company, of the Vanguard of the Divine Martial Army, fears no strong enemy, commands the personal troops, was the first to occupy the Blood Flag Fortress, establishing the primary merit for our Great Jin in this Blood Flag Contention."

The Examination Bureau Chief clasped his hands, gave a slight bow to the side, and praised: "Indeed worthy of the Great Jin imperial bloodline, truly extraordinary in martial prowess; this achievement is truly astonishing. Lord Sima Yu was three days ago ennobled as a First-Class Count of Rangjiang, receiving a fief of thirty thousand li along the Rangjiang River—truly cause for celebration."

King Heng

In the Great Jin nobility, aside from the princely rank, there are three grades of dukes, six grades of marquises, and nine grades of counts.

Staff Officer of the Bing-character Battalion of the Right Battalion of the Front Division of the Divine Martial Army

Within his thirty-thousand-li fief, all produce belongs to the lord; his three hundred thousand private troops are entirely under his command; the lives, deaths, honor, and disgrace of all the people in his territory are decided solely by his word.

Within his own fief, a noble is the supreme "ruler"; as long as he does not raise troops in rebellion, he can even issue his own decrees, no matter how absurd, and the Great Jin Divine State court will have no objection.

Even if you issue an utterly absurd decree ordering all the people in your territory to go out naked, it is entirely up to you to be happy and pleased.

More importantly, a noble's title is hereditary, a solid golden bowl; as long as he does not plot treason or rebel, this land can be enjoyed by his descendants for generations.

Third Rank Dukes

But now, inexplicably, it has become the fief of the so-called Ninth Prince of the Heng King, Sima Yu.

Ninth Rank Earls

First Class Earl

Great Jin Divine State Court

They all received Blood Flag tempering in the fortress, their aptitude becoming extraordinary; moreover, they have already received the transmission of the Sixfold Origin Skill, their future prospects promising, and they at least have the potential to become fourth-rank commandants or even third-rank officers.

Six Revolutions Original Art

Fourth Rank Commandant

The Examination Bureau Chief smiled and shook his head: "Huo Xiong, perhaps you've slept too long; have you forgotten? Your troops, every single one, died in the Blood Flag Fortress… and you still have the face to ask about your subordinates?"

Blood Flag War Fort

Supreme Commander of the Divine Martial Army

One can imagine that they may now have become direct subordinates of Sima Yu.

Before Wu Tie could speak, the Examination Bureau Chief calmly said: "You ought to thank the Divine Martial Army Commander, Lord Sima Yan… if not for his word, just based on your disgraceful performance in the Blood Flag Contention, just based on your loss of troops and near-total annihilation… heh, not throwing you into the military prison counts as you kid being lucky."

Great Marsh Prefecture Military Commander

The Examination Bureau Chief narrowed his eyes at Wu Tie and said slowly: "Old Commander Sima Yan said that you, after all, have some merit. Especially, you have obtained the qualification to cultivate the Ninefold Mystery Skill, and in the future you could be considered usable talent."

"So, Old Commander Sima Yan said, give you some small benefit… if you take it, you will continue to serve our Great Jin Divine State wholeheartedly…"

The Examination Bureau Chief's tone softened somewhat: "Dazhou Prefecture is a newly opened prefecture of our Great Jin Divine Martial Army ten years ago, although it is somewhat remote… but it is a fine land of great opportunity; go there and build your achievements, and as long as you have merit, future promotion is also quite possible."

Wu Tie looked at the Examination Office Chief, coldly laughing: "Establish merit, then this merit..."

Before he finished speaking, the Examination Office Chief angrily shouted: "Impudent, what do you want to say? It's simply... heartless... Come, beat this madman out with sticks, within ten days, if he does not go to Great Marsh Prefecture for recognition, we will flay his skin, strip his office, throw him into the great prison, and punish him severely!"

Dozens of heavily armed warriors all held their spears upside down, waving the spears, and heavily struck Wu Tie.

Dozens of spear shafts as thick as bowls heavily struck Wu Tie's body.

Wu Tie's body surface had spiritual light surging, the super strong defensive power of the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique fully displayed; the spear shafts striking his body only produced a 'peng peng' sound, his body remained completely unmoved.

These military guards were all at the peak of the Life Pond realm, and they all cultivated the same Nine Revolutions Primal Technique.

Placed in any main army corps of the Great Jin, these guards would be considered top-tier elite.

But compared to Wu Tie, who had cultivated the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique to the half-step Fetal Storage realm, these guards were still too weak, and their Nine Refined Spirit Weapon‑grade spears were also too inferior, unable to inflict any harm on Wu Tie.

After being struck hundreds of times by dozens of spears raining down on him, Wu Tie finally took a deep breath, reached out, and took the floating military order scroll before him.

Well, having my peach taken… heh.

However, that's fine; the Great Marsh Prefecture's military commander is also a military 'bigwig' who holds sway over one region.

At least within Great Marsh Prefecture, Wu Tie is the biggest military boss; as long as there is no chaos in governing the land, he can almost do as he pleases.

Give a blow, then give a sweet date.

Having been robbed of the biggest chunk of fatty meat, but given a pig's trotter as consolation, it was……

Wu Tie grabbed the military order scroll with both hands, shook his head.

Forget it, he wasn't really the "Huo Xiong"; this position of commander of Great Marsh Prefecture, for the mission he bore, was also suitable.

Of course, it wasn't as leisurely as having his own territory like Marquis Hejiang, but it wasn't bad either.

After his hands touched the military order scroll, the guards who were desperately attacking Wu Tie stopped, and the Examination Bureau chief also showed a faint smile, he said calmly: "Very good, I like people who know the times…… Go well to Great Marsh Prefecture, go well to settle military affairs, go well to build merit, the Great Jin Divine Kingdom will not shortchange those who serve the country."

Light flashed on the military order scroll.

Wu Tie's uniform of a fifth-rank commandant 'popped' into pieces, a stream of light flew out from the scroll, instantly turning into a standard uniform of a third-rank general worn by Wu Tie, behind him he also draped a scarlet cloak, with a sword at his waist, looking quite imposing.

A seal and nine tallies jumped out from the scroll.

The seal hung itself on Wu Tie's belt, the nine tallies actively entered the bracelets on his wrists.

Light and shadow swayed on the military order scroll, a transfer document flew out from the scroll.

"With this transfer document, you go to the War Ministry's Chariot and Horse Bureau and Provisions Bureau, personally take all the logistical supplies needed for one hundred thousand troops…… Once you arrive at Great Marsh Prefecture, you may do as you see fit; if Great Marsh Prefecture encounters trouble, you, as its commander, will be beheaded."

The Examination Bureau chief waved his hand, then sternly shouted: "Enough, get out, don't delay the War Ministry's daily operations; on you, enough time has been wasted."

Wu Tie bowed to the Examination Bureau chief, then turned and left.

Carrying the transfer document, Wu Tie, under the guidance of two minor clerks, went to the War Ministry's Chariot and Horse Bureau, Provisions Bureau and other logistics departments, and received sufficient logistical supplies to equip one hundred thousand troops.

This is also the standard regulation of the War Ministry of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom: when a prefectural commander takes office, whether needed or not, the logistical supplies for one hundred thousand troops must be paid, which can be considered the commander's 'transfer fee'.

Apart from weapons, armor, bows and crossbows, arrows, tower ships, flying boats, bed-mounted crossbows, light cannons, etc., Wu Tie also received a year's worth of military pay for one hundred thousand soldiers, boxes of exquisitely minted gold coins, now neatly piled in the large spatial treasure he received.

When Wu Tie left the War Ministry compound, he had a small brocade pouch tied around his waist, and behind him followed a heavy armored wagon.

The pouch contained one hundred and eight spatial rings, the wagon held one thousand and eighty spatial bracelets.

These spatial rings and spatial bracelets have considerable capacity, filled with enough military equipment and supplies for one hundred thousand soldiers to use for a year; upon arriving at Great Marsh Prefecture, if the prefecture's military equipment is damaged, these supplies will be swapped out.

If undamaged, these military supplies will serve as the prefecture's military reserves, under Wu Tie's sole control, as for reporting loss or selling…… this counts as some unwritten benefits the War Ministry gives to a prefectural commander.

Apart from these military supplies, Wu Tie has no personal guards beside him.

All of his personal guards, including Lin Huo, Niu Mang, Niu Shan who had just followed him not long ago, have had their organizational ties transferred to Si Ma You's name; not recently transferred, but according to the documents issued by the War Ministry, they have been Si Ma You's subordinates since ten years ago, and are Si Ma You's personal guards.

Such a formidable force of elite warriors has thus become Si Ma You's, with no relation to Wu Tie whatsoever.

So now, Wu Tie is a completely bald commander.

Standing at the War Ministry gate, Wu Tie gazed blankly at the three-hundred-zhang-wide avenue before him.

"Pervert, a three-hundred-zhang-wide street, how much land is this?" Wu Tie's mind went blank for a moment, not knowing whether he should first rush to Great Marsh Prefecture, or go visit relatives and friends, or do something else.

Visit relatives and friends…… find whom? Jiang Ping? Jiang Kuo? Jiang Tianxing?

These fellows haven't appeared…… showing that Si Ma You's background exceeds Wu Tie's imagination.

Directly rush to Great Marsh Prefecture?

Wu Tie felt unwilling, to go there so dejectedly……

But what about doing something else?

What to do?

Go find Si Ma You for revenge? Stab him to death with a spear?

Forget it, really think the Great Jin Divine Kingdom is vegetarian? Wu Tie hasn't reached the point of running amok unchecked.

At the War Ministry gate, the several hundred fierce soldiers stationed on both sides of the gate stared at Wu Tie with piercing gazes, their faces bearing a hint of unfathomable strangeness.

Inside the War Ministry, news spread like wildfire.

Some poor fellow, originally his fief was taken over and not only that, he was even sent to the newly opened barbaric state's capital, this has been spreading throughout the War Ministry these past days.

These gate guards looked at Wu Tie, standing blankly and somewhat dazed before the gate, their expressions rather subtle.

A black lacquered four-wheeled carriage slowly approached.

The carriage stopped before Wu Tie, a voice somewhat familiar to Wu Tie came from inside the carriage.

"General Huo, come up, perhaps we can talk."

Wu Tie stared blankly, then casually tied the reins of the draft horses pulling his heavy wagon behind the carriage's frame, then jumped onto the carriage and sat inside.

In the dimly lit carriage interior, Sima You, the Hall Master of the Hengguo Sub-division of the Forbidden Magic Temple, was smilingly looking at Wu Tie.

"Join my Forbidden Magic Temple, interested?" Sima You got straight to the point asking Wu Tie: "It won't interfere with your post in the prefectural army, you just receive an extra stipend from my Forbidden Magic Temple…… I think you can consider it."

"Good!" Wu Tie reached out his hand to Sima You: "The appointment document, and the identity tallies, hand them all over."

"Well, if I join the Forbidden Magic Temple, I will have the authority to supervise and arbitrarily decide…… if I discover Marquis Hejiang plotting rebellion, can I behead him with one stroke?"

Sima You was holding a teacup and drinking water, upon hearing Wu Tie's words, he suddenly burst into violent coughing, tea foam spraying from his nostrils.