Chapter 23 Declaring Sovereignty
Yellow sand filled the sky, and the neighing of warhorses and the shouts of warriors echoed across the Gobi Desert.
Jiang Shuoye's attention was initially focused on the "High Priest," but once the cavalry formation charged out, he couldn't think of anything else.
His dark eyes reflected the cold glint of weapons, his horse raised its forelegs high, and the warriors' spears clanged.
His heart was pounding violently. The scene that Jiang Shuoye had rehearsed countless times in his mind was now truly unfolding before his eyes.
The cavalry formation in front of us was still somewhat scattered, but it was much stronger than before.
Jiang Shuoye felt that even if the current Mobei cavalry were to face the Tatar army, they would not be suppressed. If they were to be properly trained in the future, the Mobei cavalry might even be able to counter the Tatars.
—You only need to protect the people of the northern desert.
This was the high priest's expectation of Jiang Shuoye, but now it seemed as if a flame had been ignited in Jiang Shuoye's eyes.
He felt that with such a Northern Army, he could not only protect the people of the Northern Desert, but also push the border of Da Ning hundreds of miles further outward.
If only we could be a little bolder...
Jiang Shuoye gazed far to the north, where there were lush grasslands, the powerful and nomadic Tatar tribes, and a vast and distant world.
The cavalry formation had already run quite far when the centurion, using the strength of his stirrups, stood up abruptly and waved the flying banner of the Northern Desert Army.
At a command, the cavalrymen turned their horses around and galloped back towards the military camp.
The hundred-man team now seemed to have the momentum of a thousand troops. As they charged towards them from afar, the blacksmiths and other soldiers standing in place were filled with excitement.
This is the new cavalry, the new Northern Desert Army!
The blacksmiths' eyes were a little red.
They have lived in this town on the northern border of the desert for generations, and it goes without saying how deep their feelings are for the army guarding this place.
The army stationed there had always protected these ordinary people very well, and had never let them see the Tatars' swords.
The Qin family army after Emperor Wuzong was like this, as was the Mobei army that arrived here seven years ago.
Unlike the blacksmiths, the soldiers who had not yet received their equipment were eager to try. If they could also be equipped with stirrups and saddles, they would surely be just as brave as the soldiers in front of them.
Chu Jiubian was fairly satisfied.
Although these soldiers may not seem very strong now, with the outstanding general Jiang Shuoye training them and modern training methods, the Mobei Army will definitely become a super-strong army in time.
Eighty thousand people, or even that, might not actually be eighty thousand; it's still a bit too few.
The two vassal kings who appeared in the previous [Alternative Believer Cards] had armies of 50,000 and 30,000 respectively. The Qin family army was divided into various smaller parts such as the Imperial Guard and the City Defense Army, but it still had 50,000 men.
Qin Xiao also had 10,000 private soldiers who were unknown to the public.
Compared to these people, a border army with only 80,000 soldiers is really not enough.
We'll definitely need to get Jiang Shuoye to recruit more soldiers later. Right now, the enemy is so poor that they even have to patch their pillows, so recruiting soldiers would be too much of a burden for them.
Moreover, the Northern Desert Army is not some "nobody"; people in the imperial court are watching them closely. If Jiang Shuoye were to recruit soldiers, he certainly wouldn't be able to hide it from everyone, and it might cause him some trouble.
Even things like stirrups and saddles will probably soon be known to the powerful and influential people in the court.
However, Chu Jiubian had already thought of these things when he sent those two items out. Improving himself and making others wary of him was far more effective in intimidating others than hiding them.
Moreover, neither the Northern Desert Army nor Chu Jiubian himself had the resources to play dumb and deceive others; they had been under everyone's watchful eyes from the very beginning.
Therefore, they all must become stronger so that when others want to take action against them, they should think twice about what they have to offer.
"A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star."
Chu Jiubian's lips twitched slightly. When the news that the Northern Desert Army had been equipped with stirrups and saddles reached the capital, those powerful and noble people should know what this "silver saddle" was.
He had just finished reciting those lines of poetry at the auction when the soldiers far away in the northern desert were already equipped with saddles.
It would be difficult for the clever people in the capital not to connect these two things.
After realizing that Chu Jiubian might be related to the Northern Desert Army, who knows what other things those people would imagine.
Is it because this "deity" contacted Jiang Shuoye right under everyone's noses, or is it because of the so-called mysterious force behind him, or other people who have already entered the world?
The imaginative and awe-inspiring power of such omnipresent and elusive things is self-evident.
That being said, improving the existing strength of the Northern Desert Army is completely different from conscription.
Those in the court, including Qin Xiao, were able to tolerate Jiang Shuoye's efforts to improve the strength of the soldiers, because this would help stabilize the border.
However, they would not allow Jiang Shuo to recruit soldiers to expand his army.
Once such a trend emerges, it will certainly be feared and obstructed by all parties involved.
Therefore, the conscription had to be put on hold for the time being. Once the business in the southern border region developed and money was made, Chu Jiubian's position in the court would be more secure.
Then you won't have to hesitate about what to do next.
Chu Jiubian looked at Jiang Shuoye on the screen.
The other party is discussing with the blacksmiths to make more equipment, including horseshoes, and they want to see if they can make them too.
No wonder you don't have time for a nap when you're so busy.
Seeing the progress, Chu Jiubian was relieved and stopped thinking about calling people into the Divine Realm.
He turned off the screen and then opened the system interface.
I currently have over 100 faith points left, and the total is almost 300.
But whether it was just his imagination or not, Chu Jiubian felt that the collection speed of Faith Points seemed to have slowed down a bit, and it wasn't as easy as it had been at the beginning.
[Host, as your reputation increases, the requirements for collecting Faith Points will become more stringent. This is a measure to ensure your motivation. Thank you for your understanding.]
Chu Jiubian's reputation has spread far and wide. As his poems become more widely known, more people will come to know him and believe in his "divine" status. He won't even need to make any effort to show it off; his faith value will increase on its own.
The system is afraid he'll become complacent, so the collection conditions are becoming increasingly stringent.
That's understandable.
But this was not good news for Chu Jiubian.
Chu Jiubian then opened the system store and first looked at the food section.
This category contains the most basic daily necessities, so the prices are very cheap. For example, refined grains like rice and wheat flour can be bought for 100 kilograms with just one point, while brown rice can be bought for 200 kilograms with just one point.
Chu Jiubian frowned slightly.
It's now the season for harvesting early rice in the south, and many people are waiting for the harvest to ensure they have enough to eat.
At this time, the south has not received any rain, and the people will definitely have a poor harvest or even no harvest at all. The drought is unstoppable.
If that time really comes, Chu Jiubian might be able to directly purchase some grain from the system and then give it to Si Tu Zhaoling.
Southern Xinjiang is also a drought-stricken region. If the King of Southern Xinjiang had such a batch of grain, the grain price in Southern Xinjiang could remain stable and not rise too much.
As a result, grain merchants in southern Xinjiang would go to Sichuan, Hubei and Hunan provinces where grain prices are high to sell their grain.
But once they've all gone, there will be more grain in those areas, and the price will drop.
At that time, people with spare money will be able to buy grain.
The imperial court could also purchase more grain from these grain merchants, open the granaries and release the grain. By around October, the grain in the north could be harvested, and the imperial court would transfer the grain tax to the south, thus basically getting through the drought.
However, to achieve this, Chu Jiubian would need even more points; his current hundred-plus points were simply not enough.
It seems we still need to find a way to expand our influence.
This can be considered as him helping Qin Xiao and the young emperor.
He should do a good business deal with Qin Xiao then, and expand his influence; he can have Qin Xiao do it for him.
Thinking about it this way, Chu Jiubian felt that the drought was not so difficult to solve, and his mind calmed down.
He then looked around the weapons inventory.
From the simplest daggers and stun guns to the pistols, and then to the firearms he doesn't even have permission to open and view now, the required faith points are ridiculously high.
After looking around, he fixed his gaze on a Glock 19 pistol.
He once trained in the military for two months while filming a police drama and used this gun.
This gun has low recoil and holds 15 rounds, making it easy for ordinary people to handle.
Chu Jiubian has good aim; when using this gun, he can hit at least a nine-ring shot.
Although he has not explicitly rejected other forces, because of his status as "Grand Tutor," he is practically on Qin Xiao's side in public.
Then he won't be as safe as before.
Who knows if someone might lack patience and think that if they can't have him, they should just kill him to save themselves the trouble of trying to befriend him?
Therefore, he needs to prepare some means of self-defense.
Using a pistol seems a bit excessive. Putting aside its lethality, the mere sound of a gunshot would be enough to frighten these ancient people, especially since this is an era without even fireworks.
But he is a "god," so it's perfectly reasonable for him to have some supernatural abilities.
And if a single bullet could deter those people in the shadows and prevent them from attacking him again, it would seem worthwhile.
Chu Jiubian looked at the price list; he could buy it for ninety-nine faith points.
After a while, he closed the system interface.
I'll buy it when I need it.
After emerging from the Divine Realm, Chu Jiubian opened his eyes.
After getting out of bed, he suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell back down. He managed to grab the bed frame to keep from falling.
He paused for a moment, and only after the dizziness subsided did he slowly exhale.
I really envy those who transmigrate; the body he's in has brought him low blood pressure.
A burning sensation came from his stomach. He rubbed his temples, grabbed a robe, and walked out of the bedroom while putting it on.
Just as he was about to call Xiao Xiangzi to prepare lunch, he noticed that someone was sitting at the desk in the outer room.
Qin Xiao was resting with his eyes closed when he heard the noise and opened them to look towards the bedroom door.
Their eyes met.
Qin Xiao's gaze moved downwards to Chu Jiubian's chest.
On the pure white inner garment, specks of crimson have seeped out, like plum blossoms falling on snow.
It's blood.
Chu Jiubian followed his gaze and saw the bloodstains. His eyelashes trembled slightly. "I'll change my clothes."
As he spoke, he pulled his coat up, turned around, and went back into the bedroom.
As he moved, the collar of his inner garment fluttered slightly, and Qin Xiao saw what appeared to be several thin, faint marks on the young man's chest.
It looks like a scratch.
Qin Xiao looked outside, and Xiao Xiangzi, who was guarding the corridor outside, immediately ran over.
"Let's serve the food," Qin Xiao said.
It seems the young master has woken up.
Xiao Xiangzi hurriedly agreed and turned to give the instructions.
Chu Jiubian heard the commotion outside and came out after changing his clothes. Just then, Shui Qing and Shui Yun brought over some food.
The two quietly set out their bowls and chopsticks on the table, ate their meal, and then left the house with their heads bowed.
Chu Jiubian sat down on the stool and saw that Qin Xiao also had a bowl and chopsticks in front of him. He asked, "You haven't eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten." Qin Xiao picked up his chopsticks. "I'll eat some more with you."
Chu Jiubian chuckled softly.
Qin Xiao looked up at him.
Chu Jiubian's light-colored pupils held little emotion, yet they seemed to possess a captivating allure, drawing the eye.
"Do you know why I fell into your arms back then?" His voice was very soft, with a slight upward inflection. His words came out abruptly, even somewhat inexplicably.
Qin Xiao looked at him quietly, as if trying to see through his appearance to something deeper inside.
"Why?" he asked.
"because......"
Chu Jiubian deliberately dragged out his words, and after a few moments of eye contact with the man, he smiled and said, "Because you are strong."
Qin Xiao smiled too.
"Let's eat." He ladled a bowl of soup for Chu Jiubian and placed it beside him. "Be careful, it's hot."
"Is this how you usually take care of His Majesty?"
Outsiders probably don't know that this powerful regent is actually so good at taking care of people.
Qin Xiao hummed in agreement.
Chu Jiubian didn't stand on ceremony and started eating by himself.
"How was your shift today?" Qin Xiao asked casually.
"Not bad, very relaxing."
"Leisurely?" Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "If you have nothing to do this afternoon, you can come with me to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to review memorials."
Chu Jiubian paused in his chopsticks, his probing gaze falling on Qin Xiao's face.
Does this person have some kind of mind-reading ability?
Otherwise, how could he have been thinking about this matter in the morning, and Qin Xiao had brought it up himself in the afternoon?
Chu Jiubian had originally thought he might need something in exchange, but now it seems he doesn't.
But that was the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the most heavily guarded place in the entire palace.
How could Qin Xiao dare to bring an outsider like him in?
He didn't think Qin Xiao trusted him at all.
"Would you like another bowl?" Qin Xiao asked.
Chu Jiubian finished the last sip of soup and said, "No need."
He rinsed his mouth and then took out a handkerchief to wipe it.
Then, as if by magic, he conjured two white pills out of thin air and handed them to Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao watched as the two pills suddenly appeared, and his heart couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Is it a magic trick?
He tilted his head back and swallowed the pill, then took a sip of tea.
These pills are indeed extraordinary. Qin Xiao had suffered many injuries before, many of which were actually less severe than the two cuts on his shoulder, but the pain that followed was much worse than this one.
He was certain it was because of the medicine.
After taking the medicine, the pain in the wound will be reduced.
The imperial physician also said that the wound was healing very well, and there was no sign of it worsening even in such hot weather. It couldn't be that Qin Xiao's body was different from ordinary people; it could only be that the medicine was effective.
If such medicine could be used on the soldiers, perhaps there would be fewer casualties.
"Is it really impossible to make?" he couldn't help but ask again.
"Didn't I tell you? If you treat me well, I'll have plenty of these pills."
Qin Xiao tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingertips, lost in thought.
“Let me teach you the second use of saltpeter,” Chu Jiubian suddenly said.
Qin Xiao paused for only a moment before asking, "What do we need to prepare?"
Saltpeter, rush pith, sulfur, rosin...
The process of making fire starters is more complicated than that of making ice blocks. Chu Jiubian told Qin Xiao about the necessary preparations, such as drying and pounding the rush pith, and asked him to instruct people to do so.
Actually, it would be better to use sweet potato vines or cotton wool, but Daning doesn't have either of those, so we have to use other materials as substitutes for now.
After that, he must plant sweet potatoes and cotton, as these are the two most useful things to ensure that the people have enough to eat.
These preparations will take at least a day or two. Besides, there will be light rain tomorrow, so the work of drying the rush pith will have to be put on hold. It will probably be several days before it can actually be done.
Qin Xiao wasn't in a hurry. After all, Chu Jiubian wouldn't break his word, so waiting a few more days wouldn't hurt.
He has a very high level of credibility in his own eyes.
Qin Xiao didn't have the habit of taking a nap, and Chu Jiubian had already "slept" earlier, so the two of them went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation together after their meal.
Along the way, Qin Xiao walked leisurely, and even dragged Chu Jiubian to the Imperial Garden under the pretext of "digestion".
Countless scrutinizing and probing gazes came from all directions.
It will likely be long before the news of Chu Jiubian's entry into the Hall of Mental Cultivation spreads throughout the capital, and at that time, even more people will want to get in touch with him.
After all, he was able to enter the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Although he might be like other officials, he only entered the council hall in the east courtyard of the Hall of Mental Cultivation through the side gate to discuss something, and there were always secret guards watching him from the shadows.
But what if?
What if Chu Jiubian, this "Grand Tutor," is indeed different and has access to the main hall where the emperor resides, or even the west courtyard where Qin Xiao lives?
Everyone knows that the real secrets that reveal Qin Xiao's trump card are hidden in the west courtyard.
If Qin Xiao could get Chu Jiu Bian to stab him twice before, then taking him to the west courtyard again wouldn't be difficult.
But this also proves how much Qin Xiao trusts Chu Jiubian. Many people probably think that the two of them may have reached some kind of tacit understanding and cooperative relationship.
This cooperative relationship is so stable that Qin Xiao dared to bring Chu Jiubian into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
In this situation, if people from other forces were to rashly approach Chu Jiubian and propose cooperation terms, wouldn't they be handing over their intelligence to Qin Xiao?
They could certainly try to recruit Chu Jiubian with conditions that wouldn't reveal their strength, but that would be difficult to sway him.
Is it better to take a gamble or proceed with caution?
Choosing the right option has become a difficult problem.
Chu Jiubian glanced at Qin Xiao out of the corner of his eye and roughly knew why the other party had brought him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
This is an attempt to completely sever any possibility of him cooperating with other forces.
They would pretend to be magnanimous and give him the opportunity to meet others during the auction, but now they're resorting to this tactic of asserting sovereignty.
Qin Xiao's clumsy act might not have worked under other circumstances; people would still go to Chu Jiubian anyway. It was just a risky gamble, and if it succeeded, the gains would far outweigh the disappointment.
But at this "ambiguous" juncture, Qin Xiao's move is very effective.
Now, we are at a critical juncture in the capital, on the verge of chaos, a calm before the storm.
Everyone was on edge, thinking twice before acting.
Because they don't know if their words and actions will become a sword in someone else's hand, aimed at them.
This has led to all parties being hesitant to take risks, preferring to proceed cautiously and steadily.
Xiao Huaiguan's actions at the auction were a test, and everyone has seen the result.
It is believed that before long, the conflicts in the court will be fully exposed, and at that time, there will be a clear result as to whether Chu Jiubian will continue to be with Qin Xiao or choose to join someone else.
Chu Jiubian originally planned to make a name for himself one last time and collect more faith points before he completely broke ties with other forces.
But now it's all gone.
Presumably, the heads of the major families have already decided to kill him.
He absolutely had to spend those 99 points to buy the gun.
Chu Jiubian gritted his teeth secretly, determined to make Qin Xiao pay him back all those points!
Upon entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the two went straight to the council hall in the east courtyard.
Two rows of wooden chairs facing each other were placed on both sides of the hall, separated by an aisle, with a side table next to each chair.
At the end of the corridor, directly opposite the door, there was a table with a large mahogany chair behind it, covered with a high, soft cushion.
Chu Jiubian sat down in the chair closest to the desk, and Qin Xiao sat down opposite him.
Soon, Qin Chaoyang led in several eunuchs, who carried two tables and placed them in front of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian respectively.
Normally, Qin Xiao would sit directly behind his desk. Only when he brought other ministers here to discuss state affairs would he sit at the lower end of the table, leaving the seat behind the desk for Baili Hong.
But from today onwards, he'll probably be sitting in that spot forever.
The eunuchs placed the prepared writing materials on the table and then withdrew.
Qin Chaoyang then divided the memorials piled on the table into two parts and delivered them to Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian respectively. After that, he disappeared into the shadows, as if he had vanished from the room.
Chu Jiubian really wanted to look up at the roof beams to see if, as in the novels, the secret guards were hiding on the beams.
But that would seem too ignorant, so I held back.
Chu Jiubian took a memorial and opened it.
Memorials to the throne had prescribed formats and requirements, and were always printed on paper, which made things much more convenient.
With so many memorials submitted daily, and many people submitting them repeatedly, it must have cost a lot of money to buy paper. I wonder if all that money was embezzled from the court.
Chu Jiubian carefully read the contents of the memorial.
This was a memorial submitted by Lü Yuan, the governor of Hexi Commandery. It began by inquiring about the well-being of the emperor and the Prince of Ning, and then mentioned the construction of the river embankment.
The entire text is full of praise for the Prince of Jiannan.
He was praised for his gentle nature and decisiveness, and for the smooth progress of the river embankment construction under his guidance, which made the people happy.
This is already a covert effort to make Bailihai famous.
It's good that the dike repair can start soon, because heavy rains are going to start soon and the dike needs to be repaired before then.
Thinking of this, Chu Jiubian looked up at Qin Xiao and said, "It started raining heavily in Beizhili on July 12th and will last for at least four days."
His weather forecast only shows heavy rain for the last four days of the next thirty days, and he doesn't see the later ones yet, but he thinks the rain will probably last longer.
Qin Xiao looked up from the memorial, his brows furrowed.
"The construction of the dikes in Hexi County should ideally be completed before then," Chu Jiu argued.
"Um."
Regarding the weather forecast, Qin Xiao had no doubt about its authenticity: "Just reply."
Chu Jiubian then picked up a brush and wrote a reply on the first page of the memorial.
The reply was written on the memorial, and later Qin Chaoyang would lead the eunuchs of Yangxin Hall to copy it onto new pages, and then send the new pages back to their place.
Chu Jiubian hadn't used a brush pen in a long time, and the pen, ink, and paper were all of poor quality, so Chu Jiubian's writing was really bumpy, and his characters had deteriorated a bit.
After he finished writing, he put the memorial aside to let the ink dry.
The series of movements were fluid, elegant, and natural.
After doing all that, he looked up and, unsurprisingly, met Qin Xiao's gaze.
From the moment he left, Qin Xiao's gaze never left him.
"What, are you regretting bringing me along?" he asked.
"No," Qin Xiao smiled. "I wanted to apologize to you."
Apologize?
Chu Jiubian was somewhat surprised.
"I'm sorry for using you again." Qin Xiao still had a slightly frivolous smile on his face, but his eyes were very sincere, just like when he let Chu Jiubian stab him in the back.
Chu Jiubian understood.
This refers to the time I took him for a stroll around the palace and then returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Qin Xiao continued, "Don't worry, I've prepared twenty bodyguards for you to protect your safety at all times."
Now Chu Jiubian is definitely being watched by many people, who are all thinking of going all out, except for him, who is the variable.
Qin Xiao, as the instigator, should naturally be held responsible.
We've already used up all our resources, so what's the point of apologizing now?
Chu Jiubian cursed him inwardly for being hypocritical, but he wasn't particularly angry.
Originally, his relationship with Qin Xiao was one of mutual exploitation. He was able to use Qin Xiao's connections to enter the court, and naturally, the other party could also find a way to take this "talented and extraordinary person" for himself.
This kind of relationship, where interests are intertwined, can be strong in some ways, but it can also crumble at the slightest touch.
But at least for now, they're in the same boat.
If they fall out in the future, they will definitely not show any mercy to each other.
That's good.
Meeting Qin Xiao's gaze, Chu Jiubian smiled and said, "Twenty people right off the bat, Prince Ning is truly generous."
Qin Xiao said, "I suppose you have your own means of self-protection, but if you feel you don't have enough manpower, I can give you another two hundred men."
"No need." Chu Jiu would be crazy to have two hundred people watching him day and night.
However, Qin Xiao was indeed very generous, and Chu Jiubian believed that he could indeed provide two hundred men to protect him.
It's clear that the other side has no shortage of capable fighters, but they lack people who can talk and get things done.
Otherwise, for things like writing replies to local officials, Qin Chaoyang and the eunuchs of Yangxin Hall wouldn't have to painstakingly copy the replies from the memorials; they could have just let the people from the Hanlin Academy do it.
Even those trivial memorials didn't need to be sent to Qin Xiao.
Of course, these memorials would initially be sent to the Six Ministries, which would select a batch for simple review before sending the ones that required the Emperor and Qin Xiao's decision.
But now there are almost no people from Qin Xiao's faction in the Six Ministries. Those officials all seem to have a grudge against Qin Xiao, and they are willing to make things difficult for him in this matter.
Anyway, it's not a big deal. At worst, he can just say "the subordinates didn't review it properly" or "I really couldn't make a decision" and that's it. Qin Xiao can't do anything to these people.
So, in the end, the problem is still a lack of manpower.
If the Great Ning Dynasty had a Hanlin Academy, a secretariat fully dedicated to serving the emperor, it would be far more efficient than Qin Chaoyang alone.
Where can we find so many capable, obedient people who don't belong to powerful and influential groups?
The Great Ning Dynasty did not have an imperial examination system...
Chu Jiubian was suddenly startled, and his heart skipped a beat.
He's now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, which is his job.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com