Chapter 634

Qingqiu City, within the imperial city, upon the Jade Terrace, inside the Qingqiu Palace.

Linghu Qingqing stood before the dragon throne, her face overcast with dark clouds, as if a furious thunderbolt could strike at any moment.

He stood with his hands behind his back on the imperial terrace, looking down from above upon Wu Tie, then suddenly shouted: "Prince An Huoxiong, can you, for Me, sweep away the filth, behead those who dare to act recklessly and invade My territory?"

Wu Tie solemnly clasped his fists and replied in a low voice: "Yes."

Linghu Qingqing raised her brow, narrowed her eyes, and azure light burst from her pupils, bathing the entire hall in a bronze hue. Countless heavenly dao runes, like fish and dragons, flashed rapidly in the azure-green divine light, transforming into great clouds of light that whirled swiftly across the hall's walls.

He said coldly: "Do you have confidence?"

Wu Tie gave a faint smile: "Just to die in service."

After a pause, Wu Tie quickly added a remark to the Xiang family: "Your Majesty, rest assured; I will go forth and do my utmost to win… if I am defeated, I shall have no face to return and see Your Majesty… I shall simply serve the nation loyally and die on that battlefield."

The azure light in Linghu Qingqing's eyes grew ever fiercer; amidst the flashing divine radiance, he stared fixedly at Wu Tie for a good while before asking: "Thus, I am greatly pleased… for this expedition, what are your demands?"

Wu Tie pondered for a moment, raised his head, and said in a low voice: "In my use of troops, the more the better—no matter what forces, the greater the number, the better; as the saying goes, provisions must precede the movement of troops, so I require ample baggage and supplies, ample……"

Linghu Qingqing cut off Wu Tie's words with a forceful clap.

Linghu Ayi then lifted a purple-gold tray, swiftly emerged from behind the screen behind the throne, walked briskly with both hands holding the tray to Wu Tie's front, bowed slightly, and presented the tray before him.

Upon the purple-gold tray lay a jade scabbard of azure hue, adorned with a relief of the nine-tailed celestial fox, the sword within gleaming throughout; an extremely restrained yet overbearing aura lay hidden within the scabbard, detectable only if Wu Tie's soul power far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Besides this remarkably appearing sword, the purple-gold tray also bore a large token one chi two cun long, and eighteen small tokens each six cun long.

All nineteen tokens were carved from the same azure beautiful jade as the sword's scabbard, decorated with thunder-and-cloud patterns and a nine-tailed celestial fox relief; the obverse bore four large seal-script characters reading 'As if I myself were present,' gilt in gold, and overlaid with a dense network of stern prohibitions, the four characters radiating golden light that complemented the azure tokens, imparting an awe-inspiring dignity.

Beside the nineteen tokens lay a azure jade scroll three chi six cun long, which, in appearance, is the most orthodox scripture of the Qingqiu Divine State, personally written and sealed by the Divine Emperor, recorded in all halls and offices, possessing supreme authority—the Imperial Edict of the Great Proclamation.

"This sword can slay princes and nobles." A flash of killing intent crossed the depths of Linghu Qingqing's eyes: "I grant you unrestricted authority; on the battlefield, anyone who obstructs you—even if they are of imperial royalty or nobility—may be slain, and I will settle accounts with their kin."

The foremost token shall stay with you; on the battlefield you may exercise the Divine Emperor's authority, and all military mobilizations shall be at your command.

The eighteen smaller tokens you may bestow upon your trusted subordinate commanders; any who hold a rank below first‑marquis or a military grade below second‑general, if they dare to delay military affairs, those commanders you have commissioned may also be slain.

I also bestow upon you an imperial edict… for your expedition to the Three Kingdoms battlefield, you may conscript along the way all troops, as well as civilian cultivators, aristocratic private forces, merchant guild guards, even slaves and mountain bandits—if needed, simply levy them into armies. Those who dare to defy shall have their nine clans exterminated.

Linghu Qingqing drew a deep breath, his gaze growing ever hotter, even tinged with frenzy and hysteria as he fixed his stare on Wu Tie.

I grant you unprecedented unilateral authority… Huoxiong, do not disappoint Me!

Not allowing Wu Tie to utter another word, Linghu Qingqing flicked his sleeve; a tremendous force surged forth, and Wu Tie was consequently driven out of the Qingqiu Palace. Linghu Qingqing's voice rang like heavenly thunder, a resounding 'Boom—' that echoed throughout the imperial city.

Prince An Huoxiong, go about your business with peace of mind… do not disappoint Me, do not disappoint Me.

Linghu Qingqing's voice carried out of the imperial city; Gongyang Sanlü, standing at the outskirts' street edge in a simple fur garment, was picking frozen pears at a roadside fruit stall when he gave a faint smile, lifted his head, gazed at the overcast sky, and murmured: 'Snow is coming… the weather is turning cold… tsk, are you starting to get anxious? We've barely begun!'

Gongyang Sanlü laughed heartily; he lowered his head to look at the frozen pears on the stall, each lightly glazed with ice, and in a warm, homely manner began haggling with the fruit vendor.

The Grand Preceptor of the Qingqiu Divine State, no different from an ordinary old market woman, fussed over the price of half a copper coin for a quarter of an hour; eventually, thanks to the vendor's concession, Gongyang Sanlü secured victory, cheerfully hoisting three pears and skipping away delighted.

While Gongyang Sanlü was haggling, Wu Tie had already departed the imperial city bearing the imperial edict, the sword, and the tokens.

Under the escort of a large guard detachment, Wu Tie handed the imperial edict to Wu Jin to hold, hung the azure‑jade‑scabbarded sword at his waist, gripped the largest token in his own hand, and had Wu Yin carry the remaining eighteen tokens.

After a moment's thought, Wu Tie bellowed in a stern voice: 'By imperial decree… where is Xiang Zhan?'

Several military officials clad in deep‑purple robes, wearing jade belts and jade caps, with stern faces, swiftly emerged from one side of the imperial city's gate.

One of them proclaimed loudly: 'Xiang Zhan, Xiang Tuo, and all the participating Xiang family officers of first‑ and second‑rank have been thrown into the military prison, now under interrogation by the Bureau of Punishments… the Xiang family officers of third rank and below who took part in the war are currently confined in the Xiang manor.'

What's the point of interrogating them? Why confine them?" Wu Tie waved his hand and gave a cold snort: "With the brains of that Xiang clan lot, they couldn't possibly have committed treason—they must have been framed… cut the chatter, release them all, but have the military place a restriction on them… let them form a death‑defying unit to serve under my command.

A flash of cold light passed through Wu Tie's eyes as he gave a cold snort: 'The Xiang family's officers are fit only for charging into battle; they are ideal for a suicide squad. To let them command troops would be…'

Wu Tie wanted to say 'poor use of personnel,' but then reflected that employing the Xiang family as commanders also reflected Linghu Qingqing's intention.

So he kept those words to himself, after all, standing outside the imperial city's gate, he was giving Linghu Qingqing a bit of face.

Two purple‑robed military officials hurried away, and Wu Tie then asked the remaining men: 'Well, I am presently enjoying leisure in my fief… who proposed that I take command of the troops for the Three Kingdoms battlefield? In the military I hardly have any good connections, do I?'

Several military officials were left laughing and crying at once.

Do you, Prince An Huoxiong, have no clue? Your reputation in the Qingqiu Divine State's military is not merely poor—it reeks throughout the streets… although you earned merit by annihilating the First Army, and by slaughtering its commanders and countless soldiers, you even killed your own Four Palaces Twelve Guards with the Black Heaven Cauldron, which is going too far.

Moreover, the martial clans of the world are essentially one family; even if seventy percent follow Linghu Qingqing and thirty percent the First Army, the martial houses still intermarry among themselves.

Many of the officers under the First Army are now relatives by marriage—or even cousins—of the Qingqiu Divine State's numerous senior military officials… Prince An Huoxiong, after slaughtering so many in that battle, do you still expect to have any connections?

Nevertheless, looking at the token in Wu Tie's hand and the sword at his waist, the military official who had just spoken added: 'In this great defeat at the Three Kingdoms battlefield, the dynasty's deployable senior commanders have all been sent out; the only renowned commander left is you, Prince An… it was the Grand Preceptor who personally stepped forward and strongly advocated for you.'

Wu Tie let out a loud 'Wow!' and exclaimed: 'Old scoundrel, was it not just extorting nine prefectures from him as ransom? I, the Prince, thought the matter was over with my broad mind, but I never expected him to be waiting for me here.'

Resentfully, Wu Tie gave a cold snort and cursed: 'Had I known, I should have trampled that little beast Gongyang Si to death back then.'

Gongyang Sanlü was strolling toward the imperial city's gate with a bag of frozen pears, his mind set on watching Wu Tie's spectacle, when suddenly, from afar, he heard Wu Tie's cursing.

If Gongyang Si is a little beast, then what is Gongyang Sanlü?

Gongyang Sanlü stamped his foot, gave a cold snort, turned and walked away, tossing the hard‑won pear he had bargained for into the roadside gutter—after all, as the incumbent Grand Preceptor he subsists on rare delicacies; how could he possibly eat such ordinary frozen pears?

Before Gongyang Sanlü had taken two steps, he heard Wu Tie shouting from behind.

Come here, I, the Prince, demand the records of all military and civil officials for this Three Kingdoms battlefield—especially those surnamed Gongyang and anyone related to the Gongyang clan—give you an hour to gather them all and deliver them to my manor.

Come, follow me to the armory of the Works Palace… bring more hands, prepare more large warships… for I employ troops on the principle of 'the more the better,' and every sort of heavy ordnance, too, should be as plentiful as possible.

By the way, draw a batch of accountants and clerks from the military's Bureau of Records, Rotation, and Transport… I—no, I, the Prince, intend to go to the Works Palace to audit the accounts… heh, with authority in hand I shall issue orders as I see fit; just don't let me get hold of the Works Palace director's little whip, or I might not be able to stop myself from beating him to death.

I've heard the director of the Works Palace is a grand‑disciple of Gongyang Sanlü? Well then, if I don't beat him to death, who should I?

Heh, this dilapidated Three Kingdoms battlefield has been smashed to smithereens—should I, the Prince, go up and take the pot? Old scoundrel, can I not kill you, nor even your disciples and disciples‑of‑disciples?

Outside the imperial city's gate, the assembled eunuchs on duty, the guards, and the military and other officials awaiting orders stood gaping at Wu Tie.

These court magnates have lived many years and have seen countless arrogant and overbearing civil and military officials.

You mean Linghu Qingqing, from the past?

But Linghu Qingqing has never threatened to kill the lord of a hall right at the imperial city gate!

This Prince An…… just as he said, once he had power in hand he would issue orders…… this petty man's smug face when he gets his way really leaves one speechless.

However, Linghu Qingqing has already bestowed the "Great Edict", bestowed the Shangfang sword, bestowed the king's command token as if I myself were present; as long as it concerns the Three Kingdoms battlefield, Prince An's power is limitless.

He wants to go to the Works Palace armory to check the military equipment, he wants to go to the Works Palace to audit accounts; this is within his authority.

Moreover…

All the Military Department officials' eyes gradually gleamed.

They are officials of the Military Department; they come from military families, and they are naturally opposed to the civil officials.

Before, there was no opportunity to reckon with these civil officials, after all, behind all the civil officials in the court stood Gongyang Sanlü, that big tiger. Because of Gongyang Sanlü, the civil officials of the whole court were practically a monolith; move against one, and countless mouths would denounce and brush you.

Military family leaders are skilled at fighting and killing, but making them argue reason, wrangle, or even lawfully and reasonably use various regulations to scheme against people and make things difficult for them is really not their forte.

So facing the vast civil official system, these bigwigs of the Military Department have long suffered losses and resentment.

Hey, finally there's a tough guy who wants to cut down these pretentiously cultured folks……

Moreover, it's this infamous guy, who has basically no relation at all to the current military families.

Heh, he wants to draw the knife……These bigwigs of the military families will naturally hand him a knife—not just hand him a knife, but it's best to coat it with some poison, so as to trap and kill more civil officials; that would be perfect.

The Military Department office is just west of the Imperial City; with a single order here, over ten thousand petty clerks rushed out of the Military Department office there with a "Boom—".

The military system of the Green Hill Divine Kingdom is enormous; within offices like the Registry Bureau, the Transfer Bureau, and the Transport Bureau lie countless clerks, who are also part of the military households, all being generations‑old experts in handling various official documents.

When it comes to cooking the books, pulling tricks, and gouging benefits from inside the office, the methods of these clerks are not much worse than those of the civil officials' clerks.

After all, corruption and malfeasance—just these few tricks, right? We're all in the same trade; who can fool whom?

"Follow me……Today, you all must work hard to audit the accounts, check carefully, check thoroughly……I promise, any deficits or loopholes uncovered, once recovered, half will be rewarded to you, and the other half I will allocate for military use."

Wu Tie mounted a tall horse and vigorously waved his hand at the dense crowd of Military Department clerks standing before him.

These clerks, dressed in blue caps and black leather boots, with various small abacuses hanging at their waists and various small notebooks in their hands, each had glowing eyes; they shouted in unison and followed Wu Tie in a mighty throng toward the official district east of the Imperial City.

The Works Hall office is located within that area.

Wu Tie kept issuing orders along the way, and soon battalion after battalion of Imperial Guard and Green Hill City's defense forces, etc., marched in a mighty throng to the Works Hall, surrounding the Works Hall office inside and out three layers deep, leaving no gap.

Wu Tie rode his horse at a trot to the front of the Works Hall gate; seeing the gate tightly shut, he said nothing and, with a casual swing, launched his divine whip.

With a tremendous bang, the main gate of the Works Hall office was blown to pieces, and the activation formation seal of the Works Hall was also smashed to smithereens.

"Charge in, seize the account books……Whoever gave the order to close the gate and activate the formation seal, drag them out and chop them up!"

Wu Tie's first order was just like that—full of killing intent.