Chapter 274: Enfeoffment, Enfeoffment!

Li Guanyi watched the bearded, evidently exhausted student depart, then turned and strolled along memory's path toward his temporary palace; it was summer night, the day's stifling heat finally receded, the starry sky vast, the night breeze cool.

Li Guanyi, however, grew somewhat worried—worried that Master Wen Qingyu would leave.

Now sobering from his drunkenness, he activated the body technique created by the Sword Mad Elder Murong, darting forward like a sword unsheathed toward his palace; outside, the Fire Qilin cavalry guards stood at attention, saluting, Li Guanyi nodded in return, then stepped quickly inside.

He felt a pang of regret.

In Li Guanyi's perception, he detected no trace of Wen Qingyu; when he asked Ling Pingyang, Ling Pingyang replied: "That gentleman has already left."

Li Guanyi smiled wryly, yet could not help but admire: "No surprise—he's him."

"It seems we were never meant to walk the same path."

"I only feel a little guilty for failing Yuan Zhi and the others' trust."

He felt no resentment or annoyance at Wen Qingyu's departure—only a sigh. People in this world come and go; they do not necessarily walk together. Yet Ling Pingyang's expression held a strange tinge.

"Pingyang, what's wrong?"

"You seem to have something to say."

A calm voice came: "He means I merely stepped out for a stroll—not that I won't return at all. It was just a matter of business." Li Guanyi's face lit up; he turned and saw a carriage being driven in through the side gate.

The driver was none other than Wen Qingyu.

The plain-faced young man smiled: "I merely stepped out to resolve a difficulty for my lord—consider it my token of loyalty."

Li Guanyi frowned: "What?"

Ling Pingyang said: "Let me explain this matter."

"Do you remember the great families who came before we left, hoping to meet you? Some brought their daughters, others came alone—but all bore formal tribute letters."

"Master Wen Qingyu just handled this matter."

After Ling Pingyang explained, Li Guanyi understood: Wen Qingyu deemed it wasteful, so under the guise of being a newly recruited strategist of the Fire Qilin Army, he accepted the tribute letters on behalf of Li Guanyi as lord, then went out to visit them.

Li Guanyi asked: "Wen Qingyu, you didn't do anything inappropriate, did you?"

Wen Qingyu replied: "Of course not."

"I merely thought: these families came to deliver tribute letters—you needn't ignore them entirely. I know you likely look down on them, but under these circumstances, the best response isn't to ignore them."

Wen Qingyu smiled: "They see you only with utilitarian intent and wary caution. Given the current state of the world, you probably won't get another chance to return. Even if you do return to this capital city, it won't be as peaceful as now."

"Next time you come, what awaits you won't be tribute letters from great families or the warm, fragrant presence of noble daughters—it'll be the sharp edge of iron and fire. If so, why bother with propriety for future matters?"

"The nobles and great families of Zhongzhou are but rotting corpses in tombs."

"Yet they still pretend to be as grand as in days past. When such an opportunity is laid before you, you ignore it—I couldn't bear to watch. So I went in your stead. Rest assured, I only exchanged polite, proper greetings."

Wen Qingyu offered a guileless smile.

The ever-upright Ling Pingyang frowned slightly; Li Guanyi asked casually: "Great families? I've never been good with such people. So, Master Wen Qingyu—what did you gain?"

He had no concept of what this meant.

Wen Qingyu smiled and reached out, drawing back the carriage curtain.

The gleam of gold, silver, and jewels lit up the boy's eyes.

Wen Qingyu smiled:

"Within a thousand li, the great and minor families of Zhongzhou."

"I invited them all to tea. They competed eagerly, vying to offer the finest tribute, afraid of being outdone by others—giving me much: scrolls, wealth, jade, countless gold and silver vessels. Duan Qingyu did a rough count and found the great families of Zhongzhou are indeed poor."

Li Guanyi stood frozen.

Wen Qingyu smiled: "About eight hundred thousand taels of silver."

Li Guanyi stepped forward, seized Wen Qingyu's hand, and shook it vigorously.

"Master! A true genius!"

The plain scholar in his lord's eyes glowed with golden light.

While his lord wandered the streets drinking like a vagrant, this Master Wen Qingyu had dug out eight hundred thousand taels of silver from the very place he ignored. Former Yan Daiqing had told him to come here and bring back at least a million taels.

Now, monthly rations cost over eighty thousand taels—two months, sixteen thousand.

Add to that what Wen Qingyu acquired.

Nearly a million taels of silver!

The internal affairs gold task from the Jiangnan region was completed.

In Li Guanyi's eyes, Wen Qingyu's head nearly radiated blinding light; Wen Qingyu smiled: "But if we're to transport silver back, merely hauling gold and silver is wasteful. Since we're in Zhongzhou, why not buy what Jiangnan needs?"

"Then sail downstream. With everything in ruins, these goods matter more than pure silver. Also, Zhongzhou's scrolls and artifacts—since you plan to expand literary fortune, prepare brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in advance."

"Also, I recruited… I hired a group of craftsmen."

Wen Qingyu smiled: "Zhongzhou has always been a prosperous land, the imperial capital's heartland, home to many academies—it naturally gathers the most advanced craftsmen. But now, taxes here are crushing; many craftsmen live in poverty. I said Qin Wu Hou was hiring craftsmen."

"Offered good pay, asked them to do work."

"Many came—potters and blacksmiths especially."

"The Mo family and Murong family's strength applied to civilian needs is too precious to waste."

"When you sail downstream, take them with you. They can help transport the goods you bought, saving costs, and fill the gaps in Jiangnan's workforce—two benefits at once, and you save money."

"Hmm? Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Ling Pingyang hesitated: "Did the great families really hand over money so easily?"

"How did you convince so many craftsmen?"

Wen Qingyu smiled:

"Well…"

He said matter-of-factly: "I am a gentle, virtuous gentleman—I naturally persuade people."

Seeing their skeptical glances, he remained calm, paused, then whispered: "Because Zhongzhou's powerful are as fierce as tigers—even a dreamlike invitation makes them scramble to survive."

"I did nothing. I merely followed the people's will."

"What is powerful is not strategy, but momentum."

"That is also what your lord must do."

Wen He bowed calmly, then said: "The feudal lords and noble houses rule by force, but your lord must rule by benevolence and virtue; the feudal lords rule by brutality, yet only your lord rules with peace; the feudal lords tower above the common people, feeding themselves on the people's blood, but your lord walks alongside the people."

"This is the rule governing the shift and transformation of the people's hearts."

"If this continues long enough, all the people under heaven will flock to you—this is Wen He's strategy, the third momentum, distinct from 【Great Righteousness】 and 【Military Momentum】; though invisible to the eye, it is real and immense."

"It is called the people's heart turning toward you."

"Everyone knows the people's heart, but how to follow it, how to oppose it—this they do not understand; how to profit by following it, how to stir chaos by opposing it—most noble houses and officials grasp only fragments."

"The direction of the people's heart is one link in the transformation of all under heaven."

"Those who defy this change will perish; those who follow the people's heart will rise."

Under the moonlight, the strategist lifted his gaze slightly—his eyes calm and serene, lending an inexplicable stillness to his plain face: "May your lord make the people his momentum, and move in harmony with all under heaven."

Li Guanyi and Ling Pingyang gazed at this young strategist who had lifted a corner of heaven's great tide through trivial matters; Li Guanyi suddenly wondered what world lay beneath the eyes of this plain advisor, and what true face lay beneath the reputation of 【Mastery of Self】.

Among all the strategists he had seen, Po Jun plotted heaven's fate through military momentum, striking like wildfire; Wen Lingjun claimed the high ground through orthodox righteousness; this man before them was the third—a supreme strategist with strategic vision.

Using the people's heart as the blade's edge, moving with the tide, stirring up surging waves.

Bearing profound stratagems, rooted in the highest state of a strategist's mind, operating at the level of plotting heaven's fate, yet masking himself with the methods of 【Mastery of Self】.

Is this also part of 【Mastery of Self】?

"Precisely because of the oppression and heavy taxes of the Central Plains, I offered only a sliver of hope—and they all came."

Wen He fell silent, then spoke calmly:

"This is our fortune."

"Yet it is heaven's great misfortune—and yet we must use this great misfortune to ascend to heaven's throne. To see this clearly, one must harbor compassion; yet even with compassion, one must resolutely carry out actions beneficial to oneself—that is the true path of the Central Plains' heaven."

"Your lord!"

"All the Son of Heaven of the Central Plains have blended kingship and hegemony."

"Pure gentleness is not the true path!"

Ling Pingyang was startled.

He had followed his lord, and knew his lord's future was boundless.

But in his eyes, his lord was the ultimate embodiment of Tai Ping Gong, speaking always of "all under heaven"—until now, only this calm, plain young man had uttered the words "Son of Heaven."

To Ling Pingyang's ears, it was like thunder cracking from a clear sky.

Wen He's expression did not change, as if nothing had just been said:

"Within the eighteen provinces of Jiangnan, the noble houses must control the artisans and scholars; they believe that by holding these people, your lord's Jiangnan will stumble—but heaven is vast, and with your lord's reputation and authority, you need not care for them at all. Do your own work."

"They will discover that you have taken actions beyond their expectations."

"When people realize events have surpassed their predictions, they act foolishly, make mistakes; once caught in error, they panic, scramble, desperately try to fix things—but often, it is too late."

Under moonlight and candlelight, the Confucian gentleman smiled warmly:

"Ah, just imagining the countless foolish mistakes they will make…"

"I feel a pleasant anticipation."

"Like when I was young, pouring boiling water into an ant nest, waiting to poke each one as they crawled out."

"When they make mistakes, give the minor houses the illusion they can become great houses; give the great houses the longing that their glory can still be preserved; give the outcast sons who left the houses the dreamy illusion that they too can found a house."

Wen He's ten fingers tapped against each other; before him, the air seemed to become a vast, crisscrossing chessboard—his fingers seemed to dangle threads, each thread tied to a puppet: the noble houses.

"The dilemma of Jiangnan is resolved."

"Without weapons, without disturbing heaven's harmony."

Wen He's expression was warm.

Li Guanyi: "…………"

Is this guy doing it on purpose?

Forget it.

Keep him around.

He doesn't even consume much grain, hmm—keep him.

Ling Pingyang: "…………"

The young cavalry commander's hand instinctively pressed against the treasure-grade rope at his waist.

Tie him up!

Tie him!

Tie!

Li Guanyi said: "All these matters are entrusted to you, Master."

Wen He smiled: "Entrusted entirely to me?"

Li Guanyi said: "These eighty-plus ten thousand taels of silver, plus the ten thousand or so saved from the Imperial Household's food budget—all of it is yours. See what Jiangnan lacks, and do what you can."

Wen He thought for a moment, then smiled: "I understand."

"Wen He will not let your lord's one million taels of silver go to waste."

Li Guanyi did not know what this smile meant.

"But why, Master, did you rush so urgently today—why must all this be settled in a single day?"

Wen He replied: "Tomorrow is the banquet where your lord meets the Great Emperor of the Central Plains, Your Majesty, correct? Tomorrow, noble families, imperial clans, great houses, and grand scholars of the Imperial Academy, along with court dukes and marquises, will await you there."

"They will watch you closely—and knowing you as I do, you will find it hard to converse pleasantly with them. Once conflict arises between you and them, extracting money from the noble houses will become impossible."

"These people are all cunning."

"Cunning and despicable, opportunistic, bullying the weak and cowering before the strong."

"Then I can only retrieve our money before this matter even happens."

Ling Pingyang: "…………"

Li Guanyi smiled and asked: "Mr., do you think I will definitely clash with them tomorrow?"

Wen He squinted and replied: "That depends on whether the Great Emperor of Zhongzhou is corrupt and tyrannical, or still bears the lingering prestige of his ancestors."

Li Guanyi asked: "What if he is corrupt and tyrannical?"

Wen He said: "Then you will stand against the court."

Li Guanyi asked again: "What if his bold spirit remains unbroken?"

Wen He smiled: "Then you will stand against all of Zhongzhou."

Li Guanyi laughed loudly: "Mr., you are truly talented!"

"Then let it all unfold. I came here not to bow and plead with the great families—but Mr., you are wrong about one thing."

Wen He froze: "What?"

Qin Wu Hou, gripping his sword, smiled: "It is not I who opposes Zhongzhou."

"It is they who seek to make me their enemy."

"Let tomorrow's events wait until tomorrow. Rest for now, both of you."

That night—

The Fire Qilin had not returned.

After returning, Li Guanyi rested quickly. His internal energy had just entered the Fifth Heaven, and he possessed a cultivation body inherited from Zhang Ziyong—the most vital life force he had ever encountered. With this body, Li Guanyi's recovery was terrifyingly strong.

He slept peacefully through the night; when he awoke, his body had fully restored to its peak.

The next day, as the sun rose and Li Guanyi began his bath, he suddenly realized a serious problem.

For the formal audience, must I kneel?

Tsk!

Maybe I should pretend I'm ill.

The heir to the Eternal Immortal Body was considering this excuse.

Later, Wen He explained: "Lord, you differ from those who inherit their ancestors' legacies. Those men hold noble titles passed down from the founding heroes, yet lack their spirit—kneeling is acceptable for them. But you, Lord, have earned glorious military achievements within ten years. The Great Emperor would never demand such a grand bow from you."

"By protocol, you wear court robes and need only a simple bow with clasped hands."

Li Guanyi nodded.

Court robes…

Li Guanyi disliked the thing. He spread his arms while court officials dressed him: a crimson silk robe, over it a white-silk inner tunic with white trim, then an outer crimson robe edged in blue.

A four-colored brocade sash woven with yellow, green, crimson, and purple, tied below with a blue silk net and jade sash ring.

Ordinary dukes and marquises bore cloud-and-phoenix patterns.

Only Li Guanyi bore a dark Qilin pattern.

A crimson-and-white silk broad belt, leather belt, sash, white socks, black shoes.

His black hair was meticulously combed into a crown, then topped with a seven-beam gold-thread Far-Traveling Crown—second only to the Celestial Crown. When the court maid tied it and stepped back respectfully, she raised her head and glanced once—her heart trembled slightly.

The once carefree and composed young Daoist was now shrouded in solemn, majestic court attire. His clear brows and youthful vigor vanished like rain cleared away, leaving only the weight of eight hundred years—and even millennia—of imperial authority accumulated by the Red Emperor.

The boy scholar Li Yaoshi was gone.

This was Qin Wu Hou.

Yet Li Guanyi found the attire uncomfortable. He wanted to stretch his neck. The robes were majestic and solemn—but at the cost of mobility. The court official bowed his head and whispered: "Lord, the time is nearly here."

The silver-haired girl trailed behind him, swaying slightly.

It seemed she would come along.

The Vice Minister of Rites hesitated, smiling faintly: "Lord, this… this violates protocol. Today is the court assembly; the banquet comes after. Your… your…"

He glanced at the silver-haired girl. "Your family member."

"She holds no imperial title. She cannot enter the court."

The silver-haired girl shook her head.

Li Guanyi, ivory tablet in hand, raised it and lightly tapped her forehead.

Yao Guang instinctively flinched.

The majestic Qin Wu Hou smiled faintly: "This isn't a banquet. Stay here and wait quietly." The court officials were embarrassed but had no reply.

Today was a banquet.

But not one of wine and food.

A banquet for all under heaven!

In the court: imperial clan, great families, dukes and marquises, great scholars—all present.

They would watch this Marquis, risen from obscurity, with scrutiny, caution, calculation, even hostility—as nobles deciding their own stance.

Only Emperor Chen Yingdi did not attend—as if an unspoken agreement: kings must not lightly meet kings.

Even though he is only a Hou Jue, he holds a strategic stronghold and commands the Qilin Army—he cannot be equated with the 【Hou Jue】 of other states.

Yao Guang watched Li Guanyi. Her voice was quiet: "Alright."

Li Guanyi smiled, reached out, and stroked Yao Guang's head.

Then he turned, his sleeves swirling. As he turned, the warmth and amusement in his eyes vanished. He gazed at the court officials of Zhongzhou—his gaze seemed veiled in thick clouds and rosy dawn.

"Let's go."

He said.

The Zhongzhou officials sent to probe and test instinctively lowered their heads. Their peripheral vision caught only the solemn, majestic Marquis advancing—steps calm, composed, the dark Qilin pattern shimmering.

For a moment, it seemed as if a true Qilin were walking slowly past them. Only after a long while did they raise their heads, watching the retreating figure—unconsciously, their backs were drenched in cold sweat.

Carriages befitting the rank and rites of a marquis had long been waiting.

Li Guanyi picked up his ivory tablet, stepped into the carriage, and closed his eyes to wait.

This place was not far from the Emperor of the Central State's palace; by the time the wheels rolled over the blue stone slabs, they had arrived. Li Guanyi stepped down and walked slowly—the palace gates still lay ahead, and he continued his pace.

Before him stood high officials in crimson and purple robes, noble families and eminent ministers.

They whispered to one another, seemingly very familiar, as if waiting for something, then laughed—but when they saw Li Guanyi, they fell silent and stared at the boy, some smiling, others calm.

All these nobles, in crimson and purple robes!

Li Guanyi smiled faintly inside; the Ministry of Rites officials beside him felt the pressure of those gazes, their hearts pounding—but the young Qin Wu Hou merely strolled forward indifferently, until one of the imperial clan elders spoke.

Li Guanyi walked past these old men.

No need to return their greetings.

Not even a single glance was bestowed.

The faces of the imperial clan elders and noble families grew grim; their eyes met and exchanged glances.

"Truly, he knows no propriety!"

"Hmph, after all, he's just a peasant's son—he wouldn't know etiquette."

"He got lucky, that's all—earned some merit."

These thoughts flashed through their minds, but none spoke aloud; their faces still wore mild, composed, gentle smiles, exchanging glances, then, led by several white-haired elders, they lined up in civil and military rows and entered in sequence.

The eunuch shouted with internal Qi—

"His Majesty ascends the court! All officials, pay homage!"

Li Guanyi had a sword at his waist; he reached out to remove it, intending to place it on the jade tray held by others, as all officials did—but at that moment, a eunuch held up an imperial decree and proclaimed loudly: "All officials, pay homage!"

"Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi: may enter the palace with sword and boots!"

The words echoed far and wide.

The murmurs of the hundred officials and the turmoil in their hearts froze abruptly—only the wind stirred through the great hall.

Li Guanyi slowly lifted his sword, then, before the eyes of the civil and military officials and noble families, fastened it at his waist—and instead placed the ivory tablet upon the jade tray, raising an eyebrow.

A fierce, wind-like aura.

Li Guanyi strode into the hall; soldiers on either side, holding halberds, bowed their heads in sequence as the boy passed—seen from above, it was as if a breeze had come, and the guards bowed silently.

Only the eunuch's voice sounded again:

"Proclaim: Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi, enter the court without hastening!"

"Proclaim: Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi, bow not upon entering court!"

Between each imperial decree, there was a pause.

Precisely the distance of the boy's fifteen steps.

The elders' faces were grim beyond measure; they felt an odd, bitter resentment—as if autumn were near, the wind rustling from Qin Wu Hou's sleeves seemed to carry the roar of a dragon.

They reached the great hall.

The hundred officials hurried in, bowing deeply in unison—except the boy, who stood tall and upright.

Li Guanyi saw the figure seated upon the throne—he recognized the man from yesterday. Ji Zichang looked at Li Guanyi, smiled, and nodded slightly, saying nothing—but the eunuch's voice trembled.

Ji Zichang said coolly: "Announce."

The eunuch swallowed hard, his voice shaking:

"Edict: Li Guanyi shall command all military forces of the realm as Supreme Commander!"

One sentence—and utter silence. All officials and marquises paused, their minds briefly blank. "Edict" was the rank of this decree; Li Guanyi was its subject.

"Command all military forces of the realm" was the authority.

"Supreme Commander" was the title.

This seamless, unpolished title burst forth like a single furious breath—its effect like a boulder crashing down: the court fell silent. But this was not the end.

The eunuch exhaled softly and whispered:

"Establish a court."

"Equal to the Three Excellencies."

"Bestow the highest title as—"

He raised his head, looked down beside the Emperor, saw the hundred officials bowing, one man alone standing tall, hand on sword, calm and composed—a stark contrast.

"Heavenly Strategy Supreme General!"

?? Recommend a book, Chen Xing LL's "The Demon Lord Is Inscrutable," incredibly awesome—friends who like it, give it a try~