What is the ultimate goal of recreating the universe in Chapter 133?
In the Imperial Palace of the Song Dynasty, the candlelight in the Imperial Study flickered all night, casting a long shadow of Zhao Kuangyin on the wall, its light and shadow shifting, much like his current state of mind.
The employment contract lay there quietly.
His fingertips unconsciously brushed across the smooth surface of the employment contract again, and the images in his mind reappeared, carrying an allure he couldn't comprehend.
As the powerful ruler who ended the chaos of the Five Dynasties and established the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin was far more vigilant about the unknown than ordinary people. But what was even more deeply ingrained in his bones was an almost instinctive desire for the power and technology that could overturn the status quo.
This desire ultimately overwhelmed the caution and fear of unknown risks that an emperor should have possessed.
"Whether it's immortal magic or sorcery, I must see it for myself." His low murmur echoed in the empty imperial study, carrying a resolute tone. "If it can be used by me..."
He didn't continue, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"deliver an imperial order,"
He opened the door, his voice regaining its imperial composure, and said to the eunuchs waiting outside, "I will be in seclusion for several days from today, burning incense and praying to Heaven for peace and prosperity for the country. All government affairs will be handled by Chancellor Zhao Pu in conjunction with the Privy Council. Unless it is extremely urgent, no one may disturb my seclusion."
The decree was swiftly issued. The palace gates slowly closed, cutting off any outside spying.
Just when he was the only one left in the Imperial Study, a sudden change occurred!
The moment he signed his name, the thin letter of appointment suddenly burst forth with a soft yet intense white light, instantly engulfing the entire imperial study! Zhao Kuangyin felt an irresistible force seize his entire body, and the familiar surroundings—the sandalwood imperial desk, the incense burner, the hanging map—distorted and shattered violently like reflections in water!
In just a moment.
Zhao Kuangyin opened his eyes again, his strong lower body instinctively steadying him in a horse stance. He found himself still standing, but the surrounding scenery had completely changed.
There was no familiar palace scene, no golden bricks and glazed tiles, no guards standing at attention.
He stood in an empty room.
Zhao Kuangyin didn't hesitate and strode out with a powerful stride.
Stepping outside and standing on a smooth stone-paved road, I came to the gate of a county government office that looked fairly proper, but was by no means imposing. Above the gate hung a plaque bearing the name of the Songyang County Government Office; the calligraphy was neat, but not the work of a renowned calligrapher. A faint smell, a mixture of straw pulp and soot, filled the air, and in the distance came a rhythmic "thump! thump!"
The sound sounds like drills.
What startled him most was the scene before him. The streets were impeccably clean, with hardly any animal droppings or litter. Most pedestrians were simply dressed, many with patched clothes, but all had ruddy complexions, their steps hurried yet orderly, and their eyes held a sense of security he rarely saw in the eyes of the common people of Bianjing… perhaps even a hint of faint anticipation?
Several children ran past him, laughing and playing, each holding a small toy made of bamboo or wood.
Everything was orderly, even to the point of being... frighteningly orderly. This was nothing like the county town of any dynasty he knew. There were no lazy clerks, no pale-faced vagrants, no thugs running rampant in the streets. That vibrant yet oppressive sense of order, like an invisible but resilient net, enveloped this small county town.
Zhao Kuangyin's pupils contracted slightly. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the intense palpitations and dizziness brought on by the time travel. Like a lion suddenly stepping into unfamiliar territory, he immediately suppressed all outward emotions, silently and vigilantly scrutinizing this strange place called "Songyang County" with the sharp eyes of a military strategist and politician. The layout of every house, the angle of every intersection, the direction from which the distant rumbling sound came, and even the subtle expressions on the faces of passersby were all rapidly taken in by his eyes, analyzed and assessed in his mind. This place exuded an extremely strange aura!
Meanwhile, in the back hall of the county government office.
Django was frowning as he read the military report, which stated that the emperor actually wanted to offer amnesty.
hehe.
Who would want to be a lowly soldier if they could become an emperor?
Just as she was thinking of a solution, Zhang Baichuan came over with a person, claiming that this person had come to see her.
She spotted the figure standing with his hands behind his back right across the threshold.
The newcomer was dressed in ordinary yet subtly luxurious clothes. He was tall and robust, with dark skin, a calm expression, a strong jawline, and eyes that were so sharp they seemed to pierce through one's soul.
The imposing presence cultivated over the years, the power of life and death held over thousands of people, and the fierce aura forged through countless battles, were simply impossible to conceal.
Their eyes met.
Django felt a chill run down his spine. This aura was too strong! It was even more intimidating than Zhuge Liang's calm and collected demeanor when he first arrived!
And why does he look so strong?
Zhao Kuangyin's gaze swept over her, and his brows twitched almost imperceptibly, as if something was amiss.
But he quickly composed himself, his face expressionless, his voice steady as an ancient bell, and asked, "Is this Magistrate Jiang Ge? I... am truly a newly arrived yamen runner." As he spoke, he awkwardly twisted an extremely difficult syllable, almost blurting out that fatal word.
Django's lips twitched violently, and he was internally sweating profusely: "Good heavens, I almost exposed myself!"
"Ah...yes, it's me, Jiang Ge. You're...the new guy Zhao...Brother Zhao?" Even she felt a pang of sympathy just saying it.
Under the curious yet fearful gazes of others, Django began the most awkward "onboarding" ceremony in history.
I should have waited in the clerk's office.
She led Zhao Kuangyin into the yamen, rummaged through the storeroom and pulled out a brand-new set of indigo blue coarse cloth yamen uniform, handing it to him: "Uh, Brother Zhao, this is our yamen uniform, why don't you change into it?"
Zhao Kuangyin took the clothes, twirling the rough fabric between his fingers, then looking at the simple design. His face was expressionless, but the complexity in his eyes was enough to fill an academic paper. How could he, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, adorned in imperial robes and living a life of luxury, now have to wear such clothes?
But he didn't say anything in the end, and just silently accepted it.
Sigh, we're all under someone else's roof.
Then, Django took out a standard-issue sword: "This is my sword..."
Zhao Kuangyin took the knife, and with a clang, he drew half of it, the gleaming blade reflecting his deep eyes.
"No need, I brought it."
Zhao Kuangyin revealed his dragon-patterned staff, which was made of pure iron.
Carrying a dragon-patterned staff while patrolling the streets is truly a waste of talent.
The so-called street patrol was really just to familiarize myself with the route and get acquainted with the area of Songyang County.
The dust in the drill ground swirled in the afternoon sun, like a golden mist. Zhao Kuangyin, having finished his rounds of street patrol, excused himself to familiarize himself with other things and strolled over here. His gaze was immediately drawn to the scene before him.
One formation moved like a whirlwind and raging fire, with an extremely young general leading a troop of light cavalry in a flanking maneuver. The young general was swift and decisive, his attacks wild and unrestrained. He was extremely adept at using speed and surprise to encircle and ambush, aiming for the ultimate effect of a single, fatal blow.
And they didn't care at all about what others thought.
"What a fast blade, what a tricky angle!" Zhao Kuangyin thought to himself. This fighting style was completely different from the steady and methodical style he was used to, yet it had a terrifying power.
On the other hand, the style is completely different.
Another general, with a stern face and an indeterminate age, was training his infantry. The strictness of his discipline and the thoroughness of his orders sent a chill down Zhao Kuangyin's spine, even though he was a seasoned military commander. Every movement had to be absolutely precise, and every change of formation had to be flawless. The emphasis was on a mountain-like defense, iron discipline, and a relentless, crushing attack once a weakness was exploited.
"This method of training troops is almost cruel, yet terrifyingly efficient. If used in a major war..." Zhao Kuangyin was increasingly alarmed as he read on.
Who exactly is this person?
Seeing this, the veteran soldier, who was resting, introduced in a low voice with some pride: "Brother, have you seen something amazing? That young general is General Huo, a brilliant strategist! The other one is General Bai. With him around, our Songyang County is as solid as a rock!"
"Huo? Bai?"
Zhao Kuangyin repeated it subconsciously, his heart skipping a beat for no apparent reason.
"Yes, General Huo Qubing and General Bai Qi," the veteran replied casually, as if he were referring to two very ordinary names.
"...
In an instant, Zhao Kuangyin felt as if the surrounding clamor had vanished, and his blood seemed to freeze. He abruptly turned his head, his gaze fixed on the two generals with such contrasting styles in the arena.
Lord Wu'an? Bai Qi?!
Marquis of Champion?! Huo Qubing?!
That Warring States period butcher, that Han Dynasty war god?! Weren't they long gone, hundreds, even thousands of years ago?! How could they... how could they both appear here at the same time, and so young?!
He wasn't the only one in Songyang County...
A profound sense of absurdity and horror overwhelmed him, leaving him almost frozen in place. He forced himself to look away to avoid losing his composure, but his heart pounded wildly in his chest.
This isn't just strange, this is ghostly!
He forced himself to remain calm, and under the pretext of checking the military equipment, he practically fled the drill ground, heading towards the armory in the backyard of the county government office, trying to cool his boiling thoughts with the cold iron.
As soon as he stepped into the warehouse, he heard a loud, booming laugh: "Haha! Old Qin, look at this new knife, the quenching is superb, the blade is bluish-green, it's a good piece of junk!"
There stood a burly man with a face as black as charcoal and a bushy beard, holding a freshly sharpened waist knife with obvious delight, his voice echoing across the roof tiles.
Beside him, a more composed general with sharp, piercing eyes took the sword, gently ran his fingers along the blade, carefully examined the patterns, and nodded, saying, "Not bad."
Zhao Kuangyin paused. These two men possessed extraordinary bearing; they were clearly seasoned generals, far from ordinary military officers.
The warehouse clerk saw him enter and quickly bowed, introducing him as follows: "Brother Zhao, you've come at the right time. These two are General Yuchi and General Qin, inspecting the newly arrived weapons. Generals, this is the newly arrived clerk, Zhao Kuangyin."
Yuchi? Qin? Or a general?
The tension that had just eased in Zhao Kuangyin's heart tightened again! An extremely outrageous conjecture uncontrollably surged into his mind.
Upon hearing this, the dark-faced man turned around and laughed heartily, "Oh? A new brother? I am Yuchi Jingde!" The composed general beside him also cupped his hands and said, "Qin Shubao."
"..."
Yuchi Jingde?! Qin Shubao?!
A founding hero of the Tang Dynasty, a renowned general enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion?!
Zhao Kuangyin felt his breath catch for a moment. He barely managed to keep his facial muscles steady and returned the greeting with clasped hands: "I am Zhao... Kuangyin, greetings to the two generals." His voice was even slightly hoarse, without him even realizing it.
In terms of seniority, he is indeed a junior.
Yuchi Jingde seemed to find the name somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, but he didn't think much of it and continued discussing weapons with Qin Shubao. Zhao Kuangyin, however, stood there, his mind a turbulent sea, unable to calm down.
Lord Wu'an Bai Qi, Marquis of Champion Huo Qubing, Duke of Yi Qin Shubao, Duke of E Yuchi Jingde...
One or two might be a coincidence, but how could so many outstanding figures who should have been lost in the long river of history and shone in different eras have now gathered in this small Songyang County, spanning a thousand years?!
This can no longer be simply summarized as a "miracle" or "extraordinary event".
A chill ran up his spine, straight to the top of his head, making his scalp tingle. All his previous assessments, calculations, and weighings seemed so ridiculous and insignificant at this moment!
What kind of earth-shaking power could summon so many heroes and extraordinary figures from the other side of time to this place?
What is its ultimate goal?
Is it about to recreate the world?
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Author's Note: [Crying uncontrollably][Crying uncontrollably][Crying uncontrollably]
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