Chapter 30 Letter from Southern Xinjiang

"A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star."

Qiu Heng silently recited this sentence, and his heart trembled violently.

At the auction held by the Qiu family before, Chu Jiubian recited this line of poetry when he was discussing poetry with Bai Gongjin!

The crowd initially didn't understand what this "silver saddle" was, assuming it was just an ornament on a warhorse. But now they realized that this "saddle" was actually for cavalrymen.

But that wasn't what shocked him the most. What shocked him the most was why Chu Jiubian had gotten involved with the Northern Desert Army.

Although the northern desert is also in Beizhili, it is located in a remote area, and it takes four or five days to travel from the capital by fast horse.

The Qiu family possessed the strongest information network composed of caravans, with many carrier pigeons and relay stations for delivering messages, enabling them to receive information more quickly.

Even so, it would take them at least two days to get news from the northern desert.

According to the steward, the Northern Army had only allowed the cavalry to try out the so-called stirrups and saddles two days ago, but the night before, Chu Jiubian had already recited that poem.

So how did Chu Jiubian get in touch with the Northern Desert Army?

Or is it that other people related to Chu Jiubian have already gone to the northern desert and gained Jiang Shuoye's trust, which is why they made the so-called equipment for warhorses and cavalry?

Are they other members of the forces behind Chu Jiubian?

How did the other party manage to contact Jiang Shuoye so quietly and without anyone noticing?

Or perhaps, Chu Jiubian is really a god?

Chu Jiubian himself was also connected with Jiang Shuoye.

I just don't know what kind of extraordinary means they used to get connected with a stranger thousands of miles away...

Fear and awe of the unknown shattered Qiu Heng's usual composure.

"Brother?" Qiu Xuanzheng reached out and patted his shoulder.

Qiu Heng looked up at him, then quickly walked out of the courtyard, leaving only the words, "I'm going to find my uncle."

My eldest uncle, Qiu Hongkuo, was the most respected elder in the Qiu family. He was exceptionally talented in his youth, but an accident occurred while he was doing business with the Tatars, which resulted in him becoming disabled in both legs and unable to walk properly.

If it weren't for the requirement that the head of the family must have descendants, and Qiu Hongkuo's injury made it impossible for him to have children, the position of head of the Qiu family would not have been given to Qiu Heng's father, Qiu Hongde, who only knew how to indulge in pleasure all day long.

However, Qiu Hongde didn't serve as the head of the family for long. After Qiu Heng and his brother came of age, Qiu Hongkuo directly handed over the position of family head to Qiu Xuanzheng.

The more intelligent and capable Qiu Heng was personally taught by Qiu Hongkuo, who gradually helped him rise to the position of Minister of Justice.

So, on the surface, the Qiu family was represented by the Qiu brothers, but the one who truly held the reins was their eldest uncle, Qiu Hongkuo.

As for what Qiu Heng said to the other party, no one knows.

==

When Chu Jiubian arrived at the government office, the bloodstains on his body had already been cleaned up.

Yesterday, his right palm was pierced by the handle of a calligraphy brush, and now his right thumb is also injured, so his entire hand is wrapped in white bandages.

He covered his hands with his wide sleeves and walked towards the courtyard where his office was located as if nothing had happened.

During this time, many officials from the Ministry of Personnel greeted him and said "Greetings, Your Excellency," but none of them dared to say anything else.

They were all very curious about what had happened on the main street. Now that Chu Jiubian had come from that direction, asking him would be the most convenient option.

However, due to their status and Chu Jiubian's aloof and indifferent demeanor, no one dared to speak up or chat.

Wang Langzhong, who had met him before, knew that he was actually quite easy to get along with, so he took the initiative to go up and chat with him, and naturally asked about the things that happened on the main street.

Doctor Wang assumed it was a lightning strike that struck the tree, since there had been precedents for this.

But Chu Jiubian said gently, "I didn't see any thunder; it must have been the sound of something else."

"Not thunder?" Doctor Wang asked in surprise.

Before he could ask any more questions, Chu Jiubian had already taken his leave and gone to the backyard.

Doctor Wang frowned slightly: "If it's not thunder, then what is it?"

Chu Jiubian returned to his office courtyard and first searched the cabinet warehouse, finally finding a map of Da Ning.

He took the map back to his office, locked the door, and then sat down at his desk.

He took out the paper and pen he had bought earlier from the system's inventory, and then, referring to the map of Da Ning and the identity registers of various local officials, he sorted them out bit by bit and roughly marked them on the paper.

The territory of Da Ning is vast, and its map and administrative divisions are somewhat similar to those of his previous life during the "Ming Dynasty".

Regions like Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, and the three northeastern provinces were at this time ruled by various Western Regions states, Tatars, and Jurchen tribes. The rest of the territory of Daming was divided into "two capitals, four provinces, and seven counties".

Chu Jiubian carefully compared the two.

The "two capitals" refer to the two directly governed regions in the north and south. The northern directly governed region is the three areas of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, which are directly governed by the capital or by the emperor.

Southern Zhili was a general term for the three regions of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Shanghai, and was governed by Wei Yi, the Governor-General of Zhili.

Wei Yi is Qin Xiao's cousin from his maternal grandfather's side, but judging from his age, he is already close to fifty and old enough to be Qin Xiao's father.

Chu Jiubian didn't know the nature of this person's relationship with Qin Xiao, but he was definitely closer to him than to others.

The four provinces refer to Shandong and Shanxi, which guard the east and west sides of the imperial city, and Guizhou and Guangxi, which guard the south.

The remaining seven towns refer to the fiefdoms of the seven vassal kings.

Henan, which borders Beizhili, was governed by Prince Anhuai, Baili Ming. When Prince Jiannan went to Hexi County to build dikes, Baili Ming fully supported him and provided him with many conveniences.

Moreover, Chu Jiubian had previously drawn this person when he drew the weapon card. He was a young man who succeeded his father after the father's death, and he was only eighteen years old.

The other party must be a decent person to be willing to open the door for the King of Jiannan, probably because he doesn't want the people in his fiefdom to suffer.

At the same time, Baili Zheng, the Prince of Pingxi who was in charge of Sichuan, was also selected.

Besides them, there was also Baili Yue, the King of Huguang, who was extremely wealthy but still begged the court for grain and funds, and Baili Hao, the father of Si Tu and his sister, the King of Nanjiang.

Chu Jiubian had some impression of these four vassal kings.

Besides these, there were only Baili Yu, the Prince of Dingbei who controlled Shaanxi and Gansu, Baili Yan, the Prince of Zuiliang who controlled Fujian and Zhejiang, and Baili He, the Prince of Dongjiang who controlled Guangdong and Jiangxi.

Chu Jiu couldn't determine the exact strength of these individuals, so he needed to find some time to ask Xiao Xiangzi, or directly ask Qin Xiao.

Moreover, he didn't know their ranking in the royal family. He only knew that the two who had appeared in the card collection were Baili Zheng, the fifth in line, and Baili Ming's father, the fourth in line.

The deceased Emperor Yingzong was the seventh son.

Chu Jiubian's pen tip swept across the seven regions one by one, and his right thumb bled again from writing, the blood dripping down the pen and onto the paper, leaving a trail of bloodstains.

Take it slow; these places will eventually return to the emperor's hands.

And those places that are not yet included in the territory of Daning will gradually be marked with the flag of Daning.

==

As evening fell, Granny Zhong brought out several new stir-fried dishes that she had spent the afternoon figuring out.

Six full plates, a mix of meat and vegetables, including stir-fries and stews, each one a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

Baili Hong sat in the chair, his short legs swinging, his chubby little hands supporting his chin as he looked at Qin Xiao opposite him.

"Why aren't you eating?" Qin Xiao asked.

Baili Hong replied matter-of-factly, "We'll wait for you, sir."

Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow: "You like him a lot?"

"I love it!" Baili Hong's eyes lit up. "Sir is so amazing. He can write poetry, heal the sick, make ice, and cook. He knows so many things. And he can lull me to sleep, just as gentle as my mother."

Qin Xiao noticed that he was still somewhat sad when he talked about Qin Feng, but he didn't burst into tears as easily as before.

He's transferring his longing for his mother onto Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao deliberately asked, "I wasn't gentle? I did try to put you to sleep."

“It’s different.” The little boy shook his head knowingly. “You’re my uncle.”

"Is Uncle no longer gentle?"

"No, no." The child racked his brains trying to describe the feeling, but still couldn't find a suitable expression, so he could only puff out his little face and say, "It's just different."

Seeing that Qin Xiao didn't seem to take his words seriously, he said somewhat indignantly, "Does Uncle not like the teacher?"

Although the gentleman didn't seem to like his uncle very much, he could tell that his uncle definitely liked him, otherwise he wouldn't have let the gentleman get close to him.

This wasn't because Baili Hong was narcissistic at such a young age, but because he knew his current status was important. So apart from Qin Chaoyang and An Wuji, whom he had known since childhood, and the palace servants who had followed his mother, no one else could get close to him, much less sit at the same table with him for a meal.

Therefore, the gentleman was the first "stranger" he became close to after losing his mother, the significance of which needs no further explanation.

Qin Xiao was speechless when the child asked, "Doesn't Uncle like Mr.?"

But when the child saw that he wasn't saying anything, he kept asking, "Uncle, why aren't you saying anything? You must like the teacher too, right?"

The palace servants in the inner palace kept their eyes down and their minds at ease, while the hidden guards dared not utter a sound, but their hearts were screaming with rage.

Help! What did they hear?

Does the master like the young master?

So the matter of love tribulations was indeed true!

What Granny Zhong said this afternoon about the two of them sharing a pair of chopsticks must be true!

If someone were to ask them now, wasn't that what the young emperor said?

They would immediately retort that if the adults didn't say "I don't like it," then it must mean they "like it"!

The atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat awkward. Fortunately, Chu Jiubian walked in from outside the courtyard at this moment, accompanied by Xiao Xiangzi and Eunuch Hong.

Just before dinner, Baili Hong said he wanted to have dinner with Chu Jiubian, so he asked Eunuch Hong to pick him up.

Therefore, as soon as Chu Jiubian returned to the palace after his shift, he saw the two Eunuchs Hong waiting for him at the palace gate. Xiao Xiangzi smiled broadly, his eyes almost disappearing, still as enthusiastic and lively as ever, while Eunuch Hong's smile was gentle and kind, as if he had no temper at all.

Knowing that the child wanted to eat with him, Chu Jiubian naturally wouldn't refuse.

"The master has arrived." Baili Hong slid off his chair and ran to the entrance of the hall to wait for him.

Qin Xiao had never expected the child to be so close to Chu Jiubian. After all, even Qin Chaoyang and An Wuji were somewhat intimidated by the child's seemingly innate coldness, let alone a three-year-old toddler.

But the child was not afraid of Chu Jiubian. In fact, when he first met Chu Jiubian at the coronation ceremony, the child exclaimed in surprise, "Fairy Brother!"

Outside, Baili Hong saw Chu Jiubian about to bow, so he rushed over, stood on tiptoe, and raised his short arms above his head to barely support Chu Jiubian's arms.

"Sir, there's no need for such formality."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chu Jiubian then declined the formalities.

Baili Hong tilted her little head up and said sweetly, "Sir must be hungry after a busy afternoon. Let's go eat."

Inside, Qin Xiao served two bowls of egg drop soup and placed them in front of Baili Hong and Chu Jiubian respectively.

After Chu Jiubian entered the room, he exchanged a glance with him, which was considered a greeting.

After sitting down, Baili Hong noticed the blood seeping from Chu Jiubian's right thumb and asked with concern, "Sir, is your hand injured again?"

He had injured his palm before, but it wasn't serious; it almost scabbed over overnight.

But now there are new injuries on my fingers.

Chu Jiubian glanced at his fingers and said gently, "I just bumped into something. Your Majesty need not worry."

"Sigh." Baili Hong said with concern, like a little adult, "Sir, you must take good care of yourself and not get hurt again."

The injury hurt a lot; he used to fall and scrape his knee, and it would hurt for a long time afterward.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Chu Jiubian said with a faint smile.

He didn't respond, as if he knew he would continue to get hurt.

Qin Xiao withdrew his gaze from the blood-stained fingers of the young man and said nothing.

Baili Hong picked up his special chopsticks and took out a plate of stir-fried cabbage.

Of all the dishes served at lunch, he thought the cabbage was the best, so he asked Granny Zhong to make it again for dinner.

But after putting it in his mouth, he frowned.

It was delicious, of course, but it was nowhere near as good as what I had for lunch.

Qin Xiao also picked up a piece of cabbage.

The stir-fried dishes were fresh and fragrant, but compared to Chu Jiubian's, they had a slightly bitter and salty taste.

That's the unique taste of coarse salt.

When he was making this dish, he was watching Granny Zhong closely and followed Chu Jiubian's steps exactly, but the taste was still far from what he expected.

His original intention was to see if all stir-fried cabbage was delicious, or if only Chu Jiubian's was delicious.

Now it seems that this was not his imagination. Chu Jiubian must have added other spices to the dishes he made, or perhaps he had replaced some important seasoning.

Is it salt?

Since the other party can conjure an iron pot out of thin air, it's not impossible that they could also conjure up some salt with different flavors and put it directly into the pot.

Qin Xiao's gaze was so intense that it was impossible for Chu Jiubian not to notice it.

He looked up and met the man's gaze: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much," Qin Xiao said with a smile. "It's just that I feel this dish doesn't taste as good as the one you made at noon, Young Master."

“I think so too,” Baili Hong echoed.

His eyes shone with even more admiration as he looked at Chu Jiubian; the immortal was indeed different from mortals.

Chu Jiubian casually made up a story: "It might be because I added some magic power to it."

How can fine salt and thirteen-spice powder not be considered "magical power"?

"Wow!" The little emperor's mouth dropped open.

Qin Xiao seemed thoughtful, but ultimately didn't pursue the matter further, thus acknowledging Chu Jiu's words.

Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.

It seems that the sudden appearance of the iron pot at noon had given the Regent quite a shock. Otherwise, Qin Xiao would have taken his words as a joke and then made up some nonsense with him.

After the meal, Chu Jiubian poured some medicine to prevent colds for Baili Hong.

After taking the sweet medicine, the young emperor happily went for a walk outside the palace with Eunuch Hong. The entourage behind them consisted of only six people, far fewer than that of the Empress Dowager.

However, it is unknown how many guards were watching from the shadows.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian walked slowly along the palace path, with no palace servants around them, just the two of them.

Half of the fiery red sunset remained on the horizon, and the layers of clouds displayed a flame-like hue.

Chu Jiubian took out two anti-inflammatory pills and handed them to Qin Xiao: "Take two more pills and you'll be fine."

He hadn't seen Qin Xiao's injuries, but the other party was strong and healthy, so his recovery ability should be quite good.

Qin Xiao was indeed almost fully recovered. He didn't take the pills and said in a somewhat casual voice, "I'm completely better now. You can take the medicine yourself."

Chu Jiubian was still injured, and this anti-inflammatory medicine could relieve the pain. Qin Xiao felt that the other party had delicate skin and needed this more than he did.

“I have plenty.” Chu Jiubian grabbed his hand and placed the medicine on it.

The young man's slightly cool hand collided with his own warm body temperature, leaving a strange tactile sensation.

Qin Xiao swallowed the pill and turned to look at Chu Jiubian.

The young man had striking features, exuding a strong sense of detachment. The lingering glow of the setting sun illuminated his handsome face, making it appear hazy and sacred.

Chu Jiubian was admiring the fiery clouds on the horizon, but the man's gaze seemed to pierce through him.

What happened this time?

He turned his head to look and saw the man's handsome face with its sharp features, and the lingering smile in the other man's eyes.

Chu Jiubian: "?"

"What are you laughing at now?"

The original story says that when the main villain smiles, someone is bound to suffer.

But Qin Xiao always smiled at him like a flower, and he never seemed to suffer any major misfortune.

Oh, that's not right either.

Wasn't he assassinated today?

Dozens of assassins were tasked with killing a defenseless civil official like him; these people were certainly cautious.

"I just remembered something funny," Qin Xiao said.

"What interesting thing happened?"

The two continued walking at a leisurely pace, their eyes meeting, allowing them to clearly see each other's expressions.

"I heard that the Northern Desert Army has developed new equipment." Qin Xiao carefully observed Chu Jiubian's expression, not missing a single change.

Chu Jiubian knew that this matter would reach the capital, but he did not expect it to come so quickly.

"The Northern Desert Army?" He seemed to be hearing this name for the first time. "What new equipment?"

Having acted for so many years, these roles are now a piece of cake for Chu Jiubian.

"They're said to be things called stirrups and saddles," Qin Xiao said in a low voice. "Can you identify them, young master?"

Chu Jiubian feigned just the right amount of surprise and asked, "Isn't this equipment for horses? Could it be that it wasn't available in the human world before?"

“Indeed, there isn’t one. It must be something that only exists in the Immortal Realm,” Qin Xiao said.

“These things existed in the Immortal Realm thousands of years ago.” Chu Jiubian didn’t even blink. “But it’s not surprising that mortals could think of such simple things.”

Qin Xiao stared at him, but couldn't discern anything, only the matter-of-fact look on his face.

It was as if he really came from the so-called "celestial realm," and he really didn't know anything about the Northern Desert Army.

"Do you know Jiang Chifeng?" Qin Xiao suddenly asked.

Chu Jiubian paused for a moment and asked, "Are they from the Northern Desert Army?"

"He is the commander-in-chief of the Northern Desert Army."

"He also made the stirrups and saddles?"

Seeing Qin Xiao nod, Chu Jiubian said, "Then this person is quite clever."

"Yes." Qin Xiao gazed at the sky with his deep eyes and said calmly, "It's just that with so many people talking, his little bit of new stuff can't be hidden from other people's eyes."

"Are the others talking about you?" Chu Jiubian asked with a smile.

Qin Xiao had no one to rely on in the imperial court, but in other places, his secret guards and attendants could exert much more power.

Regarding the matter of the Northern Desert Army, Qin Xiao was probably the first person in the capital to receive the news.

"These 'others' are me, but not entirely me," Qin Xiao said meaningfully. "Now, I'm not the only one who knows this news."

Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes.

Now, besides Qin Xiao, the only other people in the capital who know this news are probably the Qiu family, whose caravans and post stations are all over Daning.

But in a couple of days, these powerful and influential people in the capital will definitely know.

At that time, these people's fear and wariness of him will reach a higher level, and no one will dare to act against him casually.

His prediction was correct.

In the days that followed, each household indeed received news from the northern desert.

Unlike the vague information Qin Xiao and the Qiu family initially received, the subsequent messages became more specific and contained a greater amount of information.

They had all heard of a new god—the High Priest.

Since receiving Chu Jiubian's mission, Jiang Shuoye has worked tirelessly, determined to make sure that all the people of the northern desert know the name of the "High Priest".

Because the Northern Desert Army enjoyed immense prestige, the people believed everything these soldiers said.

"Have you heard? The Northern Army fought a particularly brilliant battle, making those Tatars flee in terror."

"Of course I've heard about it. I heard it's because the Northern Desert Army has been equipped with the latest stirrups and saddles, and those two things are incredible..." The man spoke eloquently, praising these two items to the skies.

“My cousin is a blacksmith, and he was the one who made the equipment for the Northern Desert Army!”

Everyone immediately gathered around.

The man then raised his chin, spitting as he spoke, "You wouldn't believe it, my cousin was utterly astonished when he saw this divine object, and immediately asked the general where it came from. Guess what the general said?"

"How so?"

"The general said—" the man lowered his voice, "this was a gift from an immortal in a dream!"

Everyone immediately gasped in surprise.

"Immortal? Immortal?"

“I’ve heard about it too! I heard it from a young soldier at a noodle stall. He said that the immortals couldn’t bear to see our people in the northern desert suffering from the war, so they bestowed upon us divine artifacts so that the general could better protect us.”

“Yes, yes, that’s what I heard too. This high priest is truly a compassionate immortal.”

"So the immortal is known as the high priest? He must be a powerful and kind-hearted deity."

Such conversations took place throughout the northern desert, and within just a few days, almost everyone knew the name of the "High Priest".

Some people even spontaneously set up simple altars in temples or empty houses, hoping that the high priest would continue to protect the people of the northern desert.

Chu Jiubian's faith value soared at a visible speed, and he was about to be able to summon four believers.

However, for the fifth believer, the required accumulated points suddenly doubled, now needing to reach 800.

Chu Jiu debated with the system theory for a long time, and finally each took a step back.

Chu Jiubian agreed to wait until he accumulated 800 points before summoning the fifth believer, in return for the system selling him more food at wholesale prices.

The agreement to unify the country was reached and everyone was satisfied.

When news of the high priest worshipped by the people of the northern desert reached the capital, the mood of everyone in the city grew heavier with each passing day.

They immediately connected the high priest with Chu Jiubian.

But listening to the people's words and manner of speaking, it seemed that the high priest was a gentle and kind old man, unlike Chu Jiubian, who was upright and indifferent, yet his words could dominate the court.

Even if these two are not the same person, it is certain that there is some connection between them.

They might be from the same faction.

Or perhaps, they really are all gods!

If a Chu Jiubian can fall from the sky, who knows, other immortals might fall as well.

Regardless of what others thought, no one dared to make any further rash moves.

Now, let alone assassinations, the entire capital has returned to calm, as if it had returned to the time when Emperor Yingzong was still on the throne.

The crowd was already polite to Chu Jiubian, and now that politeness was tinged with obvious closeness.

Clearly, they knew that they should not offend this "deity" unless absolutely necessary.

However, the vortex of power could not remain calm for long. Just ten days later, trouble arose again at the morning court.

Xiao Wendao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, submitted a memorial to the throne, mentioning that the Prince of Jiannan was supervising the construction of dikes in Hexi County. He stated that the Prince worked diligently from dawn till dusk during the construction period, and the construction work was progressing steadily.

The dike has now been basically completed, and the Prince of Jiannan will soon return to the capital to report on his duties.

Xiao Wendao uttered a long string of praises for Baili Hai, while also subtly hoping that Qin Xiao and Baili Hong would reward Baili Hai for his contributions and give him the honor and reward he deserved.

The reward was the ability to allow the recipient to enter the court and participate in government affairs earlier.

The Da Ning Dynasty stipulated that officials must reach the age of 22 and undergo a capping ceremony before they were entitled to serve in the court. Therefore, Baili Hai, who had just turned sixteen, was not actually allowed to enter the court.

Being sent to supervise the construction was already an exception.

However, a prince who can enter the court and participate in politics is a completely different person from a prince who has no power. The latter is just a nobleman in name only, while the former has the opportunity to make achievements and win the hearts of the people.

The emperor is young now. If a prince who remains in the capital were to rise above him and gain more popular support, that would not be a good thing.

The Xiao family's wolfish ambitions are now blatantly obvious.

The officials stood silently, and for a moment no one spoke.

This was originally a game between the Xiao family and Qin Xiao. If Baili Hai successfully entered the court, Qin Xiao and the young emperor would be weakened, while the Xiao family would rise in power, and vice versa.

Because these old foxes were unwilling to get involved, they simply watched the two sides fight it out.

Qi Zhili glanced at the censors standing around him and saw that they had their heads down and looked indifferent, as if it was none of his business. He felt a surge of anger.

An imperial censor should be loyal and upright, and should be fearless of death.

But on second thought, not everyone has the support of the Northern Desert Army like him, so it's understandable that they would think twice.

Well, it's time for him to speak up.

He sighed silently and was about to step out of the queue when he suddenly heard the young man's clear, cold voice ring out in the hall: "Minister Xiao is really an impatient man."

Qi Zhili was startled and stopped walking, looking towards the source of the voice.

The young man stood tall and elegant, dressed in a crimson official robe. His hair, which looked out of place among the crowd, seemed incongruous, yet it suited him perfectly.

It was Chu Jiu Bian.

He was also deeply involved with the "high priest" mentioned in his cousin's letter, and even triggered heavenly thunder, which shocked the "gods" of the four great families.

Jiang Shuo's letter didn't go into details, only mentioning that he received instruction from the high priest in a dream, along with stirrups, a saddle, and several other treasures.

When Qi Zhili first saw the contents of the letter, his thoughts and reactions were almost identical to those of everyone else; he immediately mistook Chu Jiubian and the High Priest for the same person.

The "High Priest" mentioned in Jiang Shuo's letter is powerful, mysterious, and gentle... like a compassionate and powerful god, a kind elder, completely different from the upright, intelligent, and cunning Ninth Prince.

Qi Zhili felt that they were definitely not the same person, but there must be some kind of relationship between them.

So he told Jiang Shuoye everything Chu Jiubian had done since he appeared, but he hadn't received a reply yet and didn't know how the other party would react.

"What makes you say that, Grand Tutor?" Xiao Wendao looked at Chu Jiubian with a respectful expression.

Chu Jiubian remained standing in place, not even stepping out of the queue, and replied calmly, "Those who have rendered meritorious service should be rewarded, but how and what to reward is up to His Majesty to decide."

Xiao Wendao pursed his thin lips.

Xiao Huaiguan stood in front of Chu Jiubian, his back slightly bowed, the gentle smile on his face slowly fading away.

"Your words just now made it sound like you were the Grand Tutor," Chu Jiubian said casually, setting a trap for him. "Are you trying to teach His Majesty how to do things in this morning court session?"

Reputation is so important these days.

As a second-rank official, Xiao Wendao represented the Xiao family.

He openly guided the emperor in making decisions during the morning court session. To put it nicely, he was instructing His Majesty on how to do things; to put it bluntly, he wanted to control the emperor.

Of course, even if it were said that he was "teaching the emperor how to do things," it wouldn't sound good if word got out.

In this era that advocates loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, such a rebellious act would surely be condemned to death by scholars and Confucian masters if it were to get out.

Why was Qin Xiao criticized before? It was because people spread rumors that he controlled the young emperor.

Xiao Wendao is not as shameless as Qin Xiao. If this title were to fall on him and the Xiao family, would he still have any reputation left?

Do we still care about the Xiao family's century-old reputation for "loyalty and righteousness" and integrity?

They've had a good taste of this Ninth Young Master's sharp tongue these past few days. He can quietly dig a pit for you, leaving you defenseless.

What kind of god is this?

What god could be so adept at navigating the complexities of officialdom?!

Surely it's not like they're also involved in political infighting in the immortal realm?

Or perhaps, before becoming a god, this Ninth Prince also worked in the imperial court?

Xiao Wendao used to enjoy watching Chu Jiu Bian argue and set traps for others, especially when he saw the people from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue suffer setbacks. But now that it was his turn, he felt a surge of anger rising within him.

"How dare you!" an aged voice rang out, filled with anger. "Do you think you can control His Majesty's decisions?!"

It was Xiao Huaiguan's reprimand.

Xiao Wendao immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times in the direction of Baili Hong, feigning fear as he said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I had no such intention. I know I was wrong, and I will never dare to speak nonsense again. Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!"

Baili Hong looked at Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao made no move for the time being, which meant he was going to leave this person hanging, so Baili Hong also kept a serious face and didn't say anything.

Compared to his first day attending court, he is now a mature young emperor, able to quickly discern the intentions of his uncle and teacher, and cooperates well with them.

Qin Xiao lowered his eyes to look at Xiao Wendao, who was kneeling and begging for forgiveness, and then looked at Xiao Huaiguan, whose face was full of anger. A smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

It feels so good to have someone help you argue with others; no wonder these people form cliques for personal gain.

Chu Jiubian's persona in the imperial court is that of a sharp-tongued person who fears no one and is willing to confront anyone.

In any case, his three shots completely intimidated these people, and there was also a "high priest" hiding in the shadows, making it difficult for them to figure him out.

Therefore, these people did not dare to confront Chu Jiubian directly. No matter how much they hated or were angry in their hearts, they still had to smile and try to get close to him after court.

They're all talented actors, so none of them should look down on the others.

Two more breaths passed, and seeing that it had cooled down enough, Qin Xiao lightly tapped the back of his ear with his fingertips.

Baili Hong then woke the man up.

Xiao Wen thanked His Majesty and praised His Majesty's magnanimity before returning to his position. The matter was then left unresolved.

The officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War, who had been challenged by Chu Jiubian several times before, felt a strange sense of satisfaction. So this is what it's like to see someone else get challenged?

It's really refreshing; they'd love to speak so freely, but they can't.

They were not Qi Zhili, nor did they have the Northern Desert Army.

They are not like Chu Jiubian, and they do not possess divine power.

Moreover, Chu Jiubian's advantage over them actually lies in his "reputation".

They care about their reputation and their family's prestige, but Chu Jiubian doesn't. As long as his identity as a "deity" spreads to the ears of the people, that is a natural and unshakeable reputation.

Who would dare to offend a deity?

How could a god possibly make a mistake?

Let alone arguing with people, even if Chu Jiubian were to curse, beat, or even kill people in the court, many common people and scholars would still defend him.

This realization made all the officials in the court even more envious of Qin Xiao.

How come he's so lucky? How come he's the one who got Chu Jiubian's favor?

Is it because he was the one who received Chu Jiubian on the day he descended to the mortal realm?

People were glancing at Chu Jiubian, whether intentionally or unintentionally, but Chu Jiubian had no time to look at anything else.

Because he heard a system notification in his ear.

[Friendly reminder: Believer Si Tu Zhaoling is requesting the host's help.]

Southern Xinjiang, inside the royal palace.

Si Tu Zhaoling clasped his hands together and bowed in a circle in front of the four directions, muttering, "High Priest who saves us from suffering, please show your power! The fifteen days you promised may not last."

The high priest had previously said he would come to find her in fifteen days, at which time the problem in the southern border region could be resolved.

But now, only ten days have passed, and the grain in dozens of granaries is already running out. It is estimated that they will not last more than fifteen days.

In an effort to extend the supply for a few more days, they instructed the porridge to be cooked rather thin, but it still couldn't withstand the consumption of a million people.

Starting yesterday, my grandfather had the porridge cooked thinner, but the people still weren't getting enough to eat, and resentment was growing. Some people were already crying and making a scene this morning.

This was still the main city, with the royal palace and the chieftain in charge, so the people only dared to cry and complain, not to cause trouble.

But the situation is not necessarily the same in other towns and cities; there may already be people causing trouble.

If this continues, something terrible is bound to happen.

Although Si Tu Zhaoling had been pampered since childhood and was literate and had read many books, all of that knowledge was of no use at this moment.

She has no connections and no way to conjure food out of thin air.

Looking at the dark circles under her parents' eyes, she felt helpless.

With no other option, she could only hope that the high priest would hear her prayers and descend a few days earlier to help her through this difficult time.

Si Tu Zhaoyao ran in from outside, covered in sweat.

Seeing her sister's strange behavior, she was startled and quickly asked, "Sister, what's wrong?"

Si Tu Zhaoling, however, pulled him back and said, "Brother, come quickly, let's pray to the High Priest together."

"High Priest?" Si Tu Zhaoyao repeated blankly.

Si Tu Zhaoling was taken aback and turned to look at him: "You can hear me?"

"No, that's not right." She touched her throat, surprised. "I can say it now?"

These past few days, she's been worried that it was just a dream, so she's had people test her several times, but each time they couldn't come up with anything related to the High Priest.

But now that I think about it, it seems she really never told her brother.

"Oh, let's not talk about that now." The boy grabbed her hand and ran outside. "Something's happened at the soup kitchen!"