[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-13":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Restoring the Mountains and Rivers",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364282,4623,"Chapter 13: Appointment to the Five City Military Command","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-13",13,"\u003Cp>The academy became entangled in factional struggles, and three younger cousins were kept at home for private study, making the household suddenly lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Friends came by frequently to visit, and just a few days ago, a gathering was even held, as if completely unaffected by the factional strife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leveraging the social circles of his three younger cousins, Li Mu successfully expanded his connections into the ranks of noble-born youths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the social level was generally low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps due to their status as illegitimate sons, most of the younger cousins’ friends were also illegitimate sons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few legitimate sons among them were peripheral figures within the noble families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of their lowly status, none of them carried much arrogance, allowing Li Mu to integrate quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been dealing with legitimate heirs of marquis or duke households, his current status would have earned him at most a passing acquaintance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To gain the recognition of these men, he had no choice but to demonstrate exceptional talent—otherwise, it was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time flew by, and before he knew it, the day of his appointment arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the first rays of morning sunlight spread over the land, Li Mu, risen early, carried the Ministry of War’s appointment document straight toward the Five City Military Command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although his uncle had already prepared the ground, on his first day reporting, he still arrived early to wait respectfully for his superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the startled glances of the soldiers, Li Mu stepped into the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night-duty officer glanced at the document, and his previously lazy demeanor instantly vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chai Delong, Chief of the Five City Military Command, pays his respects to the Battalion Commander!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry of War’s appointment had been issued earlier, and when the official notice first arrived, it caused a stir within the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Five City Military Command was a classic case of low rank but high authority—though the officials here held generally low ranks, their power was substantial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, positions like Battalion Commander were always held by legitimate heirs of marquis or duke families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not due to nepotism alone; rather, it was because imperial relatives and official sons were everywhere in the capital, and the dissolute young aristocrats were the greatest destabilizing factor in urban security.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When encountering such individuals, ordinary officials without backing rarely dared to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a series of attempts, everyone eventually found that using poison to counter poison was most effective—and thus a precedent was established.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhenyuan Marquis’s sudden recommendation of a distant nephew genuinely surprised many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the teahouse incident was exposed, and it became known that Li Mu had saved Prince Fu, did people find a reason to justify it to themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are all colleagues; no need for such formalities!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There aren’t many Chai families in the capital—is your lordship from the Xiangcheng Marquis’s household?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu asked, feigning ignorance despite knowing the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having long been rooted in the capital, Zhenyuan Marquis’s intelligence network was naturally strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a month ago, the dossiers of every official within the Five City Military Command had been delivered into his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who came from which family, who needed caution, who could be befriended—Li Mu had long kept a mental ledger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, deliberately creating conversation was because this man fell squarely within the scope of those worth cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing to do with Chai Delong’s outstanding ability or boundless potential—it was simply because the Xiangcheng Marquis’s household and Zhenyuan Marquis’s household were longstanding allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, the current Xiangcheng Marquis is my elder brother; I am the seventh son in our family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Chai Delong’s reply, Li Mu instantly understood why he had remained stuck at the rank of Sixth-Rank Chief for ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His family was too large, and political resources were insufficient to go around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coupled with Chai Delong’s utterly unremarkable record, there was no visible potential—no reason to waste resources on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this perspective, he was fortunate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous generation of Zhenyuan Marquis’s sons mostly had mediocre talent and were not worth further cultivation; the next generation had yet to mature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This brief vacuum became his best opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more subtly, his timing of arrival was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he arrived months earlier, the Emperor’s rewards had not yet been distributed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if his uncle had intended to promote him, the position he could have secured in the capital would not have been favorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he arrived months later, with so many relatives already milling about the capital, someone else might have taken his place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re Brother Chai—I’ve heard my uncle mention it; the Marquis’s household and yours have been close for a hundred years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since we’re family, when no one’s around, there’s no need for such formalities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu said with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t yet skilled at winning hearts, but he knew how to flatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an office composed of noble-born youths, if you traced the family trees, you’d find some connection, however distant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Battalion Commander, for your kindness—but etiquette must not be neglected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, word would spread, and people would laugh at me for not knowing propriety.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve just assumed your post and surely have much to learn—tonight, I’ll host a dinner to welcome you with some colleagues!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Delong responded warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Mu knew this warmth was at most one-third due to his own initiative; the rest stemmed from respect for the Marquis’s household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To establish himself firmly in the Five City Military Command, merely cultivating connections wasn’t enough—he needed to demonstrate capability, ideally by leading them to tangible achievements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achievements could wait for now—the two factions in court were locked in endless struggle; stirring up commotion now would risk drawing him into the turmoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, officials gradually arrived to report in. Under Chai Delong’s introductions, Li Mu met his fellow officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like on the first day of any new job, everyone was friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet from their insincere smiles, Li Mu still sensed a faint distance from some of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, many here did not treat this newly arrived Battalion Commander with the warmth they displayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Commandant has arrived!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing their superior had come, the office reacted in various ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some rose to greet him, others pretended to be busy, and some sat calmly sipping tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We pay our respects to the Commandant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without surprise, Li Mu stood among those welcoming Commandant Zheng Ruitao of Wuyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others could afford to be arrogant—that was because they had sufficient backing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his first day as a new official, defying his direct superior would be pure suicide in the bureaucracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fellow colleagues, no need for formalities!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The state faces hardship—we must ensure the capital’s safety and avoid causing disturbances that would trouble His Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough talk—everyone, get back to work!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the initial pleasantries, Commandant Zheng Ruitao emphasized his words heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, these warnings only affected some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tea-sippers remained calm, sipping as if unaffected at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever there are people, there is conflict—even within the noble elite, there existed a hierarchy of disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The founding nobility looked down on later military aristocrats, regarding them as nouveau riche.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both groups jointly scorned the imperial in-laws, believing those who rose solely through familial ties had no right to stand beside them as meritorious servants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial in-laws, in turn, looked down on the founding nobility, seeing them as idle heirs living off ancestral glory, inferior to themselves for their closeness to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commandant Zheng Ruitao of Wuyang was precisely the representative of the imperial in-law nobility—he had ability, but his achievements were overwhelmingly the result of hard labor rather than merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held the position of Commandant of the Five City Military Command primarily because he was the Emperor’s maternal uncle and the younger brother of the Empress Dowager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1304,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","183fb08136a57e9a758b0d50875b7344a314d6e47e468381b86010c2942056dc","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-14","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-12",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]