A new drama unfolds in the imperial court; the task is arduous and the road ahead is long.

After Shen Qingci was promoted to Minister of War, he attracted much attention from the court and the public. He knew that military power was the foundation of the country and dared not slack off in the slightest. Every day before dawn, he would go to the ministry to handle affairs and he would still be reviewing military reports and revising regulations under the lamp late at night.

His first priority was the reorganization of the army: more than 30,000 old, weak and disabled soldiers were dismissed, and young and strong men were selected from various prefectures and counties to supplement the army. Those who enlisted were required to pass both martial arts and physical fitness tests. At the same time, the training syllabus was revised. Every day at dawn, soldiers practiced formations, studied tactics at noon, and practiced the use of weapons at dusk. The soldiers' combat effectiveness was significantly improved in a short period of time.

The innovation of the military industry was even more urgent. Shen Qingci petitioned the emperor for funds to establish armories in various prefectures, recruiting skilled craftsmen to improve weapons—widening the blades and weighting the handles of traditional longswords to increase their slashing power; replacing the bows with a composite material of tough mulberry wood and ox horn, increasing their range by 30%; and even imitating Western Region firearms to create portable small muskets, which were issued to the vanguard troops. He also sent people to survey iron and coal mines to ensure a continuous supply of raw materials for the workshops. In just one year, 5,000 suits of armor and 30,000 weapons were produced, all of which were distributed to the border troops.

The rise of the military power of the Great Jing Dynasty deterred the border tribes from easily provoking them, but the undercurrents within the court never ceased. Some veteran officials, fearing Shen Qingci's growing power, secretly formed factions; some dismissed former officials had powerful backers and were waiting for an opportunity to retaliate.

That afternoon, Shen Qingci was reviewing border defense maps when an official presented him with a sealed, anonymous letter. Upon opening it, he found the letter to be viciously worded, accusing him of using the reorganization of the army as an opportunity to cultivate a private faction, embezzle military pay, and even secretly colluding with the Xiongnu in a plot to rebel. The edges of the letter were still stained with ink, clearly indicating it was hastily written.

After reading it, Shen Qingci slightly tightened his fingers, crumpling the letter. His expression remained calm as he tossed it into the brazier beside his desk. The rising sparks reflected the unwavering determination in his eyes. He knew that great success breeds envy, and any pretext could be used to find fault. Only by remaining true to his principles and pushing military reforms to the end could he silence the critics with tangible results.

The sunlight streaming through the window shone brightly on the plaque inscribed with "Serve the Country with Utmost Loyalty" hanging in the main hall of the Ministry of War, making it gleam. Shen Qingci raised his hand to rub his temples, then picked up his pen again and wrote an instruction on the military report: "Order the Zhenbei Army to immediately put the newly made muskets into use, strengthen border patrols, and if the enemy invades, they may act first and report later."